SKETCHES  x,,      ////v 

or 

ALGIERS, 

POLITICAL,   HISTORICAL,   AND   CIVIL; 

CONTAINING  AN  ACCOUNT 

OF  THE 

GEOGRAPHY,    POPULATION,    GOVERNMENT,    REVENUES,    COMMERCE, 

AGRICULTURE,    ARTS,    CIVIL    INSTITUTIONS,    TRIBES, 

MANNERS,    LANGUAGES, 

AND 

RECENT  POLITICAL  HISTORY 

OE 
THAT    COUNTRY. 


BY  WILLIAM  SHALER, 

AMERICAN   COXSUL   GENERAL   AT   ALGIKR8. 


BOSTON  : 

CUMMfNGS.  MILLIARD,  AND  COMPANY,— WASHINGTON  STREET. 

1826. 


CAMBRIDGE: 
FROM  THJS  ITNIVERSITX  FR£S8. — BILLIARD  AND  METCALF. 


PREFACE. 


IT  is  with  all  the  diffidence,  which  a  secluded  man, 
unused  to  literary  labours,  must  naturally  feel,  on  such  an 
occasion,  that  the  author  ventures  to  lay  these  Sketches 
before  the  public.  The  absence  of  any  work,  giving  a 
correct  view  of  the  real  power  and  political  importance  of 
the  piratical  state  of  Algiers  ;  the  belief  that  few  other 
persons  have  had  equal  opportunities  for  becoming  ac- 
quainted, in  an  authentic  shape,  with  the  facts  of  which 
they  treat,  and  of  tracing  to  their  causes  several  remarka- 
ble events,  which  have  or.r.urrpd  since  his  residence  here; 
and  the  influence  that  the  toleration  of  these  freebooters 
must  necessarily  have  upon  the  prosperity  of  the  Ameri- 
can commerce  in  the  Mediterranean, — all  these  causes, 
operating  together,  have  induced  him  to  engage  in  the 
undertaking. 

The  result  of  his  labours  will  show,  that  the  intrinsic 
power  of  this  redoubted  government  is  quite  insignificant ; 
at  least,  that  it  is  unequal  to  the  pretensions,  which  have 
been  founded  upon  it.  Within  less  than  half  a  century, 
the  United  States  have  solved  several  political  problems, 
of  the  deepest  interest  to  mankind.  They  have,  also, 
stripped  the  phantom  of  Barbary  importance  of  its  imagi- 
nary terrors,  and  exposed  to  derision  the  frauds,  by  which 
it  has  been  so  long  upheld.  It  seems  improbable  that 
Algiers  can  ever  again  rise  to  her  former  dignity,  without 
their  consent. 


M193233 


IV  PREFACE, 

i 

In  composing  these  Sketches,  the  author  has  been  prin- 
cipally indebted  to  the  valuable  work  of  Doctor  Shaw  on 
Barbary ;  he  has  also  consulted  Chenier's  Recherches  sui- 
tes Maures,  and  the  travels  of  AH  Bey  in  Africa  and  Asia, 
with  advantage.  He  regrets  that  Bruce's  Travels  were  not 
within  his  reach,,  though  he  thinks  from  recollection, 
that  they  add  little  to  the  information  given  by  the 
first.  Doctor  Shaw's  Travels  in  Barbary  and  the  Le- 
vant furnish,  in  the  author's  opinion,  the  only  safe  guide 
to  the  investigation  of  the  geography,  natural  history,  and 
antiquities  of  the  kingdom  of  Algiers.  Though  the  geo- 
graphical positions  laid  down  by  him  may  not  in  all  cases 
be  strictly  correct,  still,  as  they  have  not  yet  been  corrected 
by  any  better  authority,  they  have  been  preferred  here,  and 
in  point  of  fact  answer  every  object,  that  the  author  has 
in  view  in  this  respect,  which  is  merely  to  give  a  geo- 
graphical outline  of  the  country.  T^ke  manners,  customs, 
and  habits  of  a  Mohammedan  comiijjiinity  are  liable  to 
few  of  the  changes,  which  so  rapidly  succeed  each  other 
in  more  civilized  countries  ;  in  these  respects,  therefore, 
little  variation  from  the  accounts  of  that  author  is  to  be 
looked  for. 

The  object,  which  Doctor  Shaw  had  in  view,  was  obvi- 
ously the  investigation  of  the  geography,  natural  history, 
and  antiquities  of  Barbary.  But  from  the  want  of  the 
science,  and  even  the  opportunities,  necessary  to  warrant 
inquiry  into  these  interesting  subjects,  the  author  has 
limited  his  views  in  these  Sketches  to  an  exhibition  of  the 
moral  and  political  power  of  Algiers  ;  and  on  these  points 
he  flatters  himself,  that  his  treatise  may  be  regarded  as  a 
useful  supplement  to  the  work  of  Doctor  Shaw. 

It  may  be  thought  that  some  notice  should  have  been 
taken  of  the  other  states  of  Barbary.  But  as  they  differ 
essentially  in  forms  of  government,  and  have  few  relations 
with  each  other,  either  in  war  or  peace,  except  such  as 


JTREFACE.  V 

are  derived  from  a  common  religion,  and,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Morocco,  dependence  upon  the  Ottoman  Porte, 
the  author  has  deemed  it  most  prudent  to  limit  his  inves- 
tigations to  the  kingdom  of  Algiers. 

About  the  time,  when  the  historical  part  of  these 
Sketches  was  finishing,  an  event  occurred  here,  leading  to 
a  war  with  Great  Britain,  which  endured  above  six  months. 
During  that  period  an  exact  Journal  was  kept,  in  the 
Consulate  of  the  United  States,  of  every  occurrence  of  the 
least  moment  relating  to  it ;  and,  as  the  events  of  this  war, 
the  subsequent  conclusion  of  peace,  and  its  effects,  form 
the  best  commentary,  that  could  be  offered,  on  the  politi- 
cal part  of  these  Sketches,  a  transcript  of  the  Journal  is 
inserted  in  the  last  chapter. 

The  author  claims  the  indulgence  of  the  public,  for  the 
unavoidable  egotism  that  appears  in  this  narrative.  He  is 
the  only  person  existing,  who  could  trace  it  correctly  ; 
being  a  principal  actor  in  the  scenes  narrated,  circum- 
stances compel  him  to  be  the  commentator  of  his  own 
actions  ;  but  though  obliged  to  speak  of  himself,  it  is  al- 
ways as  the  national  representative,  whose  credit  here, 
whatever  it  may  be,  must  ever  entirely  depend  upon  the 
respect,  which  the  power  and  honest  policy  of  the  United 
States  inspire. 

The  authentic  documents  in  the  Appendix  do  not  ap- 
pear to  require  any  explanation,  or  excuse  for  their  inser- 
tion, except  the  translated  article  from  Schoell,  on  the 
trade  in  negro  slaves.  This  is  incidentally  introduced, 
not  for  the  instruction  of  his  countrymen,  who  are  better 
informed,  through  the  valuable  work  of  Mr.  Walsh,  but  to 
demonstrate  in  what  light  the  people  of  the  continent  of 
Europe  regard  the  legislation  and  negotiations  of  Great 
Britain,  on  that  important  question. 

Believing  that  the  aboriginal  languages  of  this  country 
present  a  subject  for  inquiry,  well  worth  the  attention  of 


VI  PREFACE. 

the  learned,  the  author  has  inserted  in  the  Appendix  all 
the  vocabularies,  which  have  been  published  by  otiier 
writers  on  this  part  of  Africa,  that  were  within  his  reach, 
for  comparison  with  his  own.  When  the  dialects  spoken 
at  Siwah,  at  the  Oasis  Minor,  at  Angela,  and  by  the  vari- 
ous tribes  of  Tuariks,  come  to  be  equally  well  investigated, 
of  which  there  is  a  prospect  through  the  enterprise  and 
industry  of  English  travellers,  his  theory  respecting  the 
Showiah  may  be  fairly  put  to  the  test ;  and  if  discovered 
to  be  well  founded,  it  will  undoubtedly  lead  to  measures 
being  taken  for  a  more  thorough  investigation  and  for 
the  preservation  of  this  interesting  tongue.  With 
this  object  in  view,  it  is  the  intention  of  the  author  to 
continue  his  inquiries,  as  far  as  circumstances,  and  the 
means  in  his  power,  will  permit. 
Algiers,  March,  1825. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Boundaries  and  extent  of  the  kingdom  of  Algiers ;  general  face  of  the 
country ;  mountains  ;  climate ;  soil ;  animals  ;  natural  productions ; 
rivers ;  seacoast ;  bays  and  harbours ;  political  divisions ;  towns 
and  population 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

Religion  and  languages ;  form  of  government,  dependence  upon  the 
Ottoman  Porte ;  government  of  the  provinces ;  political  and  civil 
institutions ;  jurisprudence ;  privileges  and  license  of  the  Turks ; 
finances,  army,  navy  ;  piracy,  their  avowed  policy ;  treaties  and 
political  relations  with  foreign  powers ;  salutes ;  public  forms  and 
ceremonies  ;  Ramadan  5  Byram. 13 

CHAPTER  III. 

City  of  Algiers ;  its  position,  extent,  topography,  and  fortifications  ; 
garrison,  and  government,  civil  and  military  ;  wealth  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, and  security  of  person  and  property  ;  variety  and  character  of 
the  inhabitants  ;  state  of  the  sciences ;  education  of  children ;  dress ; 
beauty  of  the  women,  melioration  of  Mohammedan  customs  in  their 
favour,  and  their  dress ;  diet ;  Jews,  their  civil  condition,  and  the 
oppression  under  which  they  live  ;  foreign  Africans  resident  in  the 
city  ;  mechanic  arts,  and  manufactures ;  houses,  streets,  and  quar- 
ters ;  superstitious  apprehension  of  the  Algerines ;  public  edifices, 
and  pious  foundations ;  condition  of  Christian  slaves  here,  while 
there  were  such  ;  commerce ;  opulence  of  Algiers,  and  its  effects  ; 
society  of  the  foreign  Agents;  plain  of  Metijah ;  weights  and  meas- 
ures  45 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  different  nations  or  tribes  inhabiting  the  kingdom  of  Algiers ; 
their  probable  origin  ;  manners ;  character,  religion,  and  languages. 
Tuariks 84 

CHAPTER  V. 

A  sketch  of  the  political  history  of  the  Regency  of  Algiers,  from  the 
year  1810  to  1825 104 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  probable  destiny  of  this  fine  region;  the  best  position  in  Africa, 
from  whence  to  prosecute  discoveries  in,  and  commerce  with,  the 
interior ;  influence  of  the  establishment  of  a  European  nation  in 
North  Africa,  on  civilization,  and  the  suppression  of  the  trade  in 
negro  slaves.  .........  167 

CHAPTER  VII. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  JOURNAL  KEPT  IN  THE  CONSULATE  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES,  AT  ALGIERS. 

Disturbance  between  the  Kabyles  and  Algerines  ;  the  American  Con- 
sul's protection  of  his  Kabyle  servants ;  protest  of  the  foreign  Con- 
suls ;  differences  of  the  British  Consul  with  the  government  of  Al- 
giers ;  he  is  compelled  to  leave  the  city,  and  his  affairs  are  entrust- 
ed to  the  American  Consul ;  attempts  at  a  conciliation  between  the 
British  Admiral  and  the  Algerine  government ;  obstinacy  of  the 
Bashaw  ;  interview  of  the  American  Consul  with  the  Bashaw ; 
British  blockading  squadron  stationed  in  the  harbour ;  final  settle- 
ment of  differences  between  the  British  and  Algerines,  on  very  ex- 
traordinary grounds  ;  American  vessel  wrecked  on  the  Barbary 
coast,  and  the  officers  and  crew  redeemed  from  slavery  by  the  Con- 
sul ;  Dutch  negotiation  at  Algiers 177 


APPENDIX. 

A.  Weights  and  Measures  ;  Money 245 

B.  Vocabularies  of  African  Languages.     .....  247 

C.  Negotiations  on  the  Abolition  of  the  Slave  Trade.    .        .  261 

D.  Note   of  the   American  Commissioners,  and  Letter  of  the 

President  of  the  United  States,  to  the  Dey  of  Algiers.      .    274 

E.  Letter  from  the  Dey  of  Algiers  to  the  President  of  the  Unit- 

ed States 276 

F.  Battle  of  Algiers 279 

G.  Letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  the  Dey 

of  Algiers. — Note  of  the  American  Commissioners. — Note 

of  the  American  Consul  General.  ....  295 

H.  Protocol  of  the  Congress  of  Aix-la-Chapelle. — Note  of  the 
Commissioners  of  the  Allied  Powers  to  the  Regency  of 
Algiers 301 

K.  Declarations  of  the  Algerine  Government  in  relation  to 

Great  Britain.  307 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BOUNDARIES  AND  EXTENT  OF  THE  KINGDOiM  OF  ALGIERS  } 
GENERAL  FACE  OF  THE  COUNTRY  ;  MOUNTAINS  J  CLIMATE  ; 
SOIL  ;  ANIMALS  ;  NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  ;  RIVERS  ;  SEA- 
COAST  ;  BAYS  AND  HARBOURS  ;  POLITICAL  DIVISIONS  J 
TOWNS  AND  POPULATION. 

JL  HE  portion  of  Barbary  denominated,  from  its 
capital,  the  Kingdom  of  Algiers,  is  bounded  on  the 
west  by  the  eountry  called  the  Empire  of  Moroc- 
co, on  the  north  by  the  Mediterranean  sea,  on  the 
east  by  the  territory  of  Tunis,  and  on  the  south  by 
the  Si'ihara,  or  great  desert.  The  western  limit  of 
this  kingdom  on  the  Mediterranean  is  at  a  place 
called  Twunt,  situated  about  forty  miles  east  of 
the  great  river  Mulucha,  or  Malva,  and  sixteen 
minutes  of  a  degree  west  of  the  meridian  of  Green- 
wich, which  in  these  states  is  adopted  as  a  first 
meridian  whenever  there  is  a  question  of  longitude  ; 
from  whence  to  Tabarca,  its  eastern  limit,  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  the  little  river  Zaine,  in  9°  16' 
east  longitude,  the  distance  is  about  five  hundred 
miles.  The  breadth  of  this  region  is  much  more 
uncertain,  from  the  positions  of  anv  part  of  the 
1 


2  SKETCHES     OF   ALGIER*. 

northern  border  of  the  Sahara  never  having  been 
determined  by  observation. 

Doctor  Shaw,  who  appears  to  be  better  informed 
on  this  subject  than  any  other  geographer,  thinks 
that  at  Tlemsen  it  does  not  exceed  forty  miles,  at 
Algiers,  sixty  miles,  and  that  a  medium  of  sixty 
miles  may  be  taken  as  its  breadth  from  the  Medi- 
terranean to  the  Sahara  :  or  as  the  Arabs  term  it, 
of  the  Tell,  or  arable  land,  without  interruption  of 
desert :  though  it  may  be  remarked,  that  the  bor- 
ders of  the  Sahara  are  by  no  means  a  definite  line, 
being  interspersed  with  mountains,  marshes,  and 
fertile  plains,  which  on  the  maps  of  Africa  have 
obtained  the  name  of  Belled  el  Jerreed,  and,  un- 
til better  explored,  may  be  regarded  as  doubtful 
territory.  I  have  made  much  inquiry  of  native 
travellers  on  this  subject,  and  the  result  would  lead 
me  to  suppose  it  of  greater  breadth ;  but  as  the  po- 
sitions in  question  have  not  been  fixed  by  actual 
observation,  I  do  not  regard  this  as  sufficient  au- 
thority on  which  to  contradict  those  laid  down  by 
this  respectable  traveller. 

According  to  these  data,  therefore,  Algiers  con- 
tains a  surface  of  about  thirty  thousand  square 
miles.  The  whole  of  this  territory  is  mountain- 
ous, being  intersected  by  parallel  ranges  of  the 
Atlas  from  west  to  east,  which  form  every  possi- 
ble variety  of  mountain  and  valley.  It  is  asserted 
by  the  natives,  that  none  of  these  mountains  are 
bald,  and  that  their  summits  are  inhabited  by  the 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  D 

kabyles,  who  find  there  sufficient  pasturage  for 
their  flocks,  and  arable  land  to  subsist  upon.  The 
inhabited  part  of  this  fine  region,  being  situated 
between  the  thirty-fourth  and  thirty-seventh  degrees 
of  north  latitude,  enjoys  a  healthy  and  agreeable 
temperature  of  climate,  which  is  neither  oppressively 
hot  in  summer,  nor  severely  cold  in  winter.  An  ex- 
ception to  this  remark,  however,  is  the  winds  from 
the  Sahara,  which  blow  occasionally  in  midsum- 
mer, sometimes  during  four  or  five  days,  when  the 
mercury  in  Fahrenheit's  thermometer  often  rises  as 
high  as  108°.  From  April  to  September,  the 
winds  usually  prevail  from  the  eastward,  and  are 
damp,  but  without  rain  ;  during  the  rest  of  the 
year  they  are  generally  westerly.  The  season  of 
rain  is  from  November  to  April  ;  sometimes  the 
rains  are  excessive  in  November  and  December  ; 
in  January  and  February  there  is  generally  much 
fine  weather.  The  quantity  of  rain,  that  annually 
falls,  is  from  twenty-four  to  twenty-eight  inches. 

The  soil  throughout  this  region  has  not  degene- 
rated from  its  ancient  reputed  fertility  ;  in  some 
parts  it  is  black,  in  others  red,  but  equally  fertile 
every  where,  being  strongly  impregnated  with 
nitre  and  salt.  The  inhabitants  rarely  cultivate 
any  other  grain  than  wheat  and  barley  ;  the  usual 
quantity  sown  upon  an  acre  is  five  pecks,  which, 
notwithstanding  the  rude  state  of  agriculture,  yields 
from  eight  to  twelve  for  one.  The  Algerine  wheat 
is  of  the  hard  species ;  the  flour  which  is  made  from  it 


4  -SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

has  the  appearance  of  sand,  and  is  difficult  to  knead ; 
but  it  makes  excellent  bread.  This  wheat  has  the 
preference  in  the  markets  of  Italy  over  any  other,  on 
account  of  its  superior  excellence  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  maccaroni,  and  other  pastes,  Ancient  authors 
have  represented  this  part  of  Africa  as  deficient  in 
forests  ;*  it  is  still  so  ;  nothing  is  more  rare  than  to 
find  forest  trees  in  the  plains.  Some  timber  is 
brought  to  the  port  of  Algiers  from  Boujaiah,  but 
it  is,  as  I  am  informed,  of  inferior  quality,  and  is 
seldom  employed  in  naval  construction.  The  olive 
is  here  in  its  native  soil  and  climate,  and  flourishes 
spontaneously  wherever  permitted.  The  walnut 
and  the  chesnut  are  found  throughout  the  kingdom, 
and  produce  fruit  of  good  quality,  though  inferior 
to  that  of  Spain,  France,  and  Italy.  The  palm 
tree  abounds  in  Algiers,  and  the  dates  from  the 
borders  of  the  desert  are  delicious.  All  the 
fruits  of  the  temperate  climates  are  produced  here 
in  abundance,  but  except  figs,  pomegranates,  and 
grapes,  they  are  of  inferior  quality  ;  though,  from 
the  peculiar  physical  character  of  this  country, 
which  abounds  in  plains  of  various  elevations,  it 
must  surpass  most  others  in  the  variety  and  excel- 
lence of  its  vegetable  productions,  if  it  were  inhab- 
ited by  a  civilized  and  industrious  people. 

The  only  metals  known   to   exist  in   Algiers  at 
present,  are  iron  and  lead,   of  which  large  quanti- 

*Sallust  says  of  it,  Arbori  infcecundus. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  0 

ties  are  extracted  and  wrought  by  the  Kabyles. 
Several  sorts  of  pipe  clay  are  found,  from  which  u 
large  quantity  of  coarse  pottery  is  manufactured  by 
the  natives.  Inexhaustible  mines  of  the  finest  fos- 
sil salt  also  abound  in  the  mountains. 

Though  the  Kingdom  of  Algiers  is  a  well  water- 
ed country,  abounding  in  springs  and  small  streams, 
it  has  no  rivers  of  much  importance.  The  Shelliff 
is  the  most  considerable  river  in  the  country ;  its 
sources  are  in  the  Sahara,  south  of  the  province  of 
Titterie  ;  it  approaches  within  about  fifty  miles  of 
the  city  of  Algiers,  when  by  the  contributions  of 
several  other  streams,  it  has  become  a  river  of  some 
consequence,  turns  westward,  and  running  nearly 
parallel  with  the  coast  about  one  hundred  miles, 
disembogues  into  the  Mediterranean,  in  1°  20'  east 
longitude,  about  thirty  miles  west  of  Cape  Tennis. 
It  is  probable  that  this  river  is  navigable  for  small 
craft  at  a  considerable  distance  from  its  mouth.  In 
the  rainy  season,  the  swelling  of  the  Shelliff,  which 
then  overflows  its  banks,  and  inundates  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  countries  adjacent,  opposes  a  formidable 
obstacle  to  the  communication  between  Algiers  and 
Oran.  There  is  no  other  remarkable  river  in  thi> 
kingdom,  though  there  are  numerous  streams  which 
reach  the  sea.  There  is  also  found  in  this  country 
a  great  number  of  salt  and  mineral  springs. 

The  following  is  the  description  by  Doctor  Shaw 
of  the  Hammam,  or  baths,  of  Merega,  the  Aquae 
Calidce  Colonia  of  the  ancients,  situated  between 


D  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

the  Shelliff  and  the  sea,  about  sixty  miles  west  of 
Algiers.  "  The  largest  and  the  most  frequented  of 
them  is  a  basin  of  twelve  foot  square,  and  four  in 
depth,  and  the  water,  which  bubbles  up  in  a  de- 
gree of  heat  just  supportable,  after  it  hath  filled 
this  cistern,  passeth  to  a  much  smaller  one,  made 
use  of  by  the  Jews,  who  are  not  permitted  to 
bathe  in  company  with  the  Mahometans.  Both 
these  baths  were  formerly  covered  with  a  handsome 
building,  having  corridores  of  stone  running  round 
their  basins  ;  but,  at  present,  they  lie  exposed  to 
the  weather,  and,  when  1  saw  them,  were  half 
full  of  stones  and  rubbish.  A  great  concourse  of 
people  are  usually  here  in  the  spring,  the  season 
of  these  waters  :  which  are  supposed  to  remove 
rheumatic  pains,  to  cure  the  jaundice,  and  to  alle- 
viate most  other  inveterate  ill  habits  and  distem- 
pers. Higher  up  the  hill  there  is  another  bath,  of 
too  intense  a  heat  to  bathe  in  :  which  is  therefore 
conducted  through  a  long  pipe  into  another  room, 
where  it  is  made  use  of  in  an  operation  of  the  same 
nature  and  effect  with  our  pumping." 

The  seacoast  is  every  where  bold,  and  free  from 
hidden  dangers,  at  any  considerable  distance  from 
the  shore.  Its  only  good  harbours  are  Boujaiah, 
and  the  gulph  of  Stora,  which  are  very  spacious, 
and  afford  perfect  shelter  at  all  times.  I  received 
this  information  from  a  very  intelligent  English 
captain,  who  had  occasion  to  seek  refuge  in  these 
two  places,  during  a  voyage,  in  the  winter  season, 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  7 

from  this  port  to  Bona,  and  back  again.  Perhaps 
by  a  perfect  survey  of  this  coast,  which  is  as  yet 
hardly  known,  other  good  ports  might  be  discover- 
ed. Bona,  Algiers,  and  Oran,  are  the  only  places 
that  are  frequented  by  foreign  vessels,  where  there 
is  safe  anchorage  in  ordinary  times,  but  which  af- 
ford no  shelter  from  the  northerly  gales,  which 
blow  sometimes  in  winter  with  excessive  fury. 
The  sea  of  Algiers  abounds  in  the  fish  common  to 
the  Mediterranean,  and  on  the  eastern  coast  the 
finest  coral,  which  might  be  made  a  source  of  na-" 
tional  industry  and  wealth  :  at  present  the  exclu- 
sive privilege  of  taking  this  valuable  article  of  trade 

is  farmed  to  France,  and  is  an  inconsiderable  source 

* 

of  revenue  to  the  Algerine  government. 

As  the  inhabitants  of  the  interior4  of  this  country 
are  a  pastoral  people,  whose  principal  wealth  con- 
sists in  their  flocks  ;  and  the  physical  character  of 
the  country,  which  abounds  in  pasturage,  being 
peculiarly  favorable  to  the  breeding  of  cattle,  all 
the  domestic  animals  are  very  abundant,  such  as 
horses,  neat  cattle,  camels,  dromedaries,  asses, 
mules,  sheep,  and  goats.  The  Barbe  horses  have 
had  much  reputation,  but  I  do  not  recollect  having 
seen  a  fine  horse  in  Algiers  ;  in  every  respect  they 
appear  to  me  far  inferior  to  the  horses  of  the  Unit- 
ed States.  Their  neat  cattle  are  small,  and  their 
cows  give  very  little  milk.  The  wool  of  Algier> 
is  of  a  good  quality,  and  in  its  unassorted,  unwash-  ^ 
ed  state,  usually  commands  about  fifty  franks  per 


O  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

English  quintal,  in  the  markets  of  France  and  Italy. 
This  country  abounds  in  game,  such  as  wild  hogs, 
hares,  partridges,  and  in  their  season,  quails,  wood- 
cocks, snipes,  teal,  and  wild  ducks  ;  and  in  the  in- 
terior, and  borders  of  the  desert,  deer,  antelopes, 
and  wild  goats.  The  ferocious  animals  of  Algiers 
are  the  lion,  the  panther,  the  leopard,  the  hyena, 
the  wild  cat,  and  the  mischievous  jackal.  The 
Numidian  lion  has  not  degenerated  from  his  an- 
cient character ;  he  is  still  the  most  formidable, 
and,  according  to  the  reports  of  the  natives,  the 
most  magnanimous  of  his  species. 

The  territory  of  Algiers  is  politically  divided  in- 
to three  provinces,  viz.  Oran,  or  the  western ;  Tit- 
terie,  or  the  southern  ;  and  Constantine,  or  the 
eastern.  The  province  of  Titterie  is  bounded  on 
the  west  by  the  river  Masafran,  in  3°  12'  east  lon- 
gitude, which  separates  it  from  Oran  ;  and  by  the 
river  Boobrak,  in  4°  15'  east  longitude,  which 
separates  it  from  Constantine  on  the  east.  The 
three  provinces  are  supposed  to  extend  south  from 
the  Mediterranean  to  the  Sahara.  The  capital  of 
this  kingdom  is  situated  on  the  coast  of  Titterie, 
in  latitude  36°  48'  north,  and  longitude  3°  30'  east, 
and  according  to  Shaw  stands  upon  the  site  of  the 
ancient  Icosium.  It  exercises  an  indefinite  juris- 
diction, several  governments  in  the  three  provinces 
depending  directly  upon  it,  as  will  be  subsequently- 
mentioned  :  it  may  therefore  be  termed  a  fourth 
province. 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  9 

Hie  cities  of  this  kingdom,  except  the  capital, 
which  will  be  described  in  a  subsequent  chapter, 
are  of  very  little  note.  Tlemsen,  or  Tremecen, 
situated  near  the  western  frontier,  and  about  equi- 
distant between  the  sea  and  the  Sahara,  was  once 
the  capital  of  a  kingdom  of  the  same  name,  and  a 
place  of  much  importance.  Shaw  describes  its 
ancient  extent  as  of  four  miles  circuit.  Since  the 
establishment  of  the  Turkish  domination  in  this 
country,  Tlemsen,  notwithstanding  the  advantages 
of  its  position,  has  fallen  into  entire  decay.  It  is 
now  supposed  to  contain  a  population  of  about 
three  thousand  souls.  Oran  is  situated  fifty-four 
miles  northeast  of  Tlemsen,  on  a  very  good  har- 
bour in  ordinary  seasons,  and  five  miles,  across 
an  isthmus,  southwest  of  the  fine  Bay  of  Arzew  ; 
in  latitude  35D  48'  and  longitude  0°  40'  east.  It 
contains  about  eight  thousand  inhabitants  ;  and  con- 
sidering its  position,  in  a  fine  fertile  country,  with 
two  commodious  bays,  and  its  proximity  to  Gib- 
raltar and  Spain,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  second  place 
in  the  kingdom. 

A  few  miles  east  of  Oran  is  situated  Mustigan-s 
im,  which,  during  the  possession  of  the  former  by 
the  Spaniards,  was  a  Moorish  city   of  much  im- 
portance ;  but  since  its  restoration  to  the  Regency, 
it  has  fallen  into  entire  decay.     Oran  was  regularly  ' 
fortified  by  the  Spaniards,  who,  after  a  possession 
of  about  a  century,  gave  up  this  important  place,  at 
2 


10  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

their  last  peace  with  Algiers,  in  the  expectation  of 
advantages  which  were  never  realized.  Belidah  is 
a  town  containing  eight  or  ten  thousand  inhabit- 
ants,* situated  south  of  the  capital,  on  the  south- 
ern verge  of  the  plain  of  Mitijah,  twenty-four  miles 
distant ;  and  in  the  same  direction,  one  day's  jour- 
ney further,  is  Median,  capital  of  the  province  of 
Titterie,  a  town  of  about  the  same  size  and  impor- 
tance with  the  former.  These  two  towns,  from  being 
situated  in  the  most  fertile  districts  of  Numidia,  and 
from  their  proximi  y  to  the  capital,  enjoy  a  very 
considerable  degree  of  agricultural  prosperity.  Con- 
stantine,  the  capital  of  the  eastern  province,  is  the 
ancient  Cirta,  situated  on  the  river  Rummel,  about 
forty  miles  from  the  sea,  in  latitude  36°  20'  north, 
and  longitude  6°  30'  east.  It  is  described  to  me 

*  On  the  2nd  of  March,  1825,  at  half  past  nine  in  the  morning-, 
a  very  severe  shock  of  earthquake  was  felt  in  the  city  of  Algiers, 
and  was  followed  by  others  in  the  space  of  about  forty-eight  hours, 
more  or  less  severe,  which  totally  destroyed  the  town  of  Belidah, 
not  leaving  a  single  dwelling  standing.  The  total  ruin  of  this  un- 
fortunate town  was  so  sudden,  that  few  of  its  inhabitants  escaped.  Ac- 
cording to  the  most  moderate  reports,  ten  thousand  souls  perished  by 
this  dreadful  visitation.  To  my  inquiries  respecting  the  discrepancy 
which  appears  between  the  reported  population  of  Belidah  and  the 
numbers  said  to  have  perished  there  by  earthquake,  I  received  the 
following  reply  :  that  the  amenity  of  the  position  of  Belidah,  the 
abundance  of  water  there,  and  the  fertility  of  its  soil ;  its  immediate 
dependence  upon  the  general  government,  which  protects  it  from  the 
tyranny  of  the  Beys;  its  proximity  to  Algiers  and  being  the  thor- 
oughfare of  all  intercourse  between  Algiers  and  the  provinces,  have 
caused  there,  of  late  years,  a  very  great  increase  of  prosperity,  and 
consequently  of  population.  In  Doctor  Shaw's  time,  Belidah  was  not 
even  rated  as  a  village. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  11 

by  the  natives  as  containing  about  twenty-five 
thousand  inhabitants.  The  position  of  this  city  is 
certainly  one  of  the  most  happy  that  can  be  ima- 
gined, and  under  a  reasonable  government,  would 
entitle  it  to  every  sort  of  prosperity. 

Bona,  the  ancient  Hippo  Regius,  is  a  town  con- 
taining about  three  or  four  thousand  inhabitants, 
with  a  commodious  harbour,  in  latitude  36°  43' 
north,  and  longitude  8D  east.  Before  the  French 
revolution,  Bona  was  a  place  of  greater  commercial 
importance  than  even  Algiers,  from  its  being  the 
focus  of  all  the  trade  of  the  French  African  com- 
pany, which  was  established  upon  concessions  of 
the  monopoly  of  the  coral  fishery  on  the  coast,  and 
other  commercial  advantages,  wrhich  have  been  re- 
newed since  the  restoration,  but  without  as  yet 
having  produced  any  apparent  melioration  of  the 
trade  of  Bona ;  which,  from  the  superior  advantages 
of  its  position,  is  susceptible  of  much  improvement, 
if  the  least  encouragement  were  given  to  agricul- 
ture and  trade  in  this  country. 

Boujaiah,  in  north  latitude  36°  45',  and  east 
longitude  5°  24',  possesses  the  best  harbour  on  this 
coast,  which  was  formerly  the  great  naval  depot  of 
the  Regency.  The  neighboring  country  is  moun- 
tainous, and  exuberantly  fruitful  in  olives.  With 
due  encouragement,  Boujaiah  might  become  a  place 
of  much  commercial  importance  ;  at  present  it  is 
in  a  state  of  total  decay,  and  contains  about  two 
thousand  inhabitants. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

Doctor  Shaw  has  described  many  other  towns, 
both  on  the  coast  and  in  the  interior  of  the  king- 
dom, which  have  probably  sunk  to  entire  insig- 
nificance since  his  time.  As  1  can  obtain  no  defi- 
nite information  respecting  them,  it  is  probable 
that  they  have  ceased  to  be  of  any  political  or  com- 
mercial importance.  Mention  however  ought  to 
be  made  of  Shershell,  the  ancient  lol  Caesarea,  and 
the  most  important  maritime  city  of  ancient  Mau- 
ritania, situated  west  of  Algiers,  in  2°  39'  east 
longitude.  In  Doctor  Shaw's  time,  Shershell  was 
a  place  of  some  consequence,  but  has  since  dwin- 
dled into  total  insignificance  ;  it  being  now  known 
only  as  a  place  where  coarse  pottery  is  manufac- 
tured, and  brought  by  sandals  for  sale  to  Algiers. 
There  are  various  opinions,  respecting  the  popu- 
lation of  this  kingdom  :  as  any  actual  enumeration 
is  entirely  out  of  the  question,  it  can  onljr  be  me- 
diately estimated  by  comparison  with  other  coun- 
tries, whose  statistics  are  accurately  known.  Thus, 
upon  a  surface  of  about  thirty  thousand  square 
miles,  considering  the  small  number  of  commercial 
or  manufacturing  towns,  the  barbarous  despotism 

-  of  the  government,  and  that  far  the  greater  num- 
ber of  its  inhabitants  have  scarcely  emerged  from 
the  shepherd  state ;  notwithstanding  their  fine  cli- 
mate, fertile  soil,  and  temperate  habits  of  living,  I 
am  of  opinion,  that  the  population  of  this  kingdom 

^  must  be  rather  under  than  over  a  million  of  souls. 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 


CHAPTER,  II. 

RELIGION  AND  LANGUAGES  ;  FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT,  DE- 
PENDENCE UPON  THE  OTTOMAN  PORTE  ;  GOVERNMENT 
OF  THE  PROVINCES  ;  POLITICAL  AND  CIVIL  INSTITUTIONS, 

JURISPRUDENCE  ;  PRIVILEGES  AND  LICENSE  OF  THE 
TURKS;  FINANCES,  ARMY,  NAVY;  PIRACY,  THEIR  AVOWED 

POLICY  ;  TREATIES  AND  POLITICAL  RELATIONS  WITH 
FOREIGN  POWERS  ;  SALUTES  ;  PUBLIC  FORMS  AND  CERE- 
MONIES J  RAMADAN,  BYRAM. 

ISLAMISM  is  the  only  religion  professed  by  the 
Algerines  with  the  absolute  exclusion  of  all  others, 
except  the  Hebrew,  which  is  tolerated  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Jacob.     The  languages  spoken  in  Algiers 
are  the  Turkish,  the  Arabic,  the  Hebrew,  and  what 
Doctor  Shaw  terms  the  Showiah,  or  that  which  is  * 
spoken  by   the    independent  mountaineers,  which 
there  is  strong  reason  for  believing  an  ancient  and, 
original  language.     The  Turkish  is  the  language  of 
the  government,  though  the  Arabic  is  the  predomi- 
nant tongue  ;  French  is  in  general  use  in  the  society 
of  the  foreign  agents  residing  here,  and  the  Lingua  ^ 
Franca,  which  is  a  barbarous  compound  of  Span- 
ish, French,   Italian,   and  Arabic,  is  the  ordinary 
medium  of  communication  between  foreigners  and, 
natives. 

In  order  to  form  a  competent  notion  of  the  meth- 
od of  government  established  in  this  country,  it  is 


14  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

necessary  to  state  some  of  the  leading  facts  relative, 
to  its  conquest  by  the  Turks.* 

In  the  year  1516,  a  petty  £  ng  of  Algiers  by  the 


name  of  Eutemi  was  so  impr 
aid  of  the  brothers  Horuc  a 
the  Spaniards  who  were  then 
and  had  established  garrisons 


dent  as  to  solicit  the 
d  Hayradin  against 
i  possession  of  Oran, 
in  Boujaiah,  and  in 


the  little  island  opposite  to^  the  city  of  Algiers. 
These  brothers  were  natives/ of  the  Island  of  Mity- 
lene,  who  had  raised  themsefves  to  a  very  high  de- 
gree of  power  and  renowrj  by  their  enterprising 
valour  and  success  as  pirates  ;  and  had  rendered 
themselves  celebrated  throughout  Christendom  by 
the  name  of  Barbarossa.  The  offer  was  accepted 
with  avidity  by  these  daring  chieftains,  who  had 
long  been  desirous  of  obtaining  a  port  where  to 
establish  their  power  upon  a  more  solid  basis. 
Horuc  was  received  into  the  city  of  Algiers  as  a 
friend,  at  the  head  of  five  thousand  men,  when  he 
secretly  murdered  the  Prince  whom  he  had  come 
to  assist,  and  caused  himself  to  be  proclaimed  king 
of  Algiers  in  his  stead.  In  1518,  Horuc  was  de- 
feated and  killed  in  a  battle  with  the  Spaniards  on 
his  retreat  from  Tlemsen,  and  his  brother  Hayradin 
succeeded  him  as  king  of  Algiers. 

This  chieftain  who  had  been  still  more  celebra- 
ted than  his  brother  under  the  same  name  of  Bar- 
barossa, placed  his  newly  acquired  dominions  un- 
der the  protection  of  the  Grand  Seignior,  and 

*  See,  also,  Robertson's  Charles  V. 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  15 

received  from  him  a  garrison  of  Turks  sufficient  to 
overawe  any  attempt  of  his  Moorish  subjects  to 
regain  their  liberty.  Barbarossa  subsequently  at- 
tained the  eminent  post  of  Capoudan  Pashaw,  and 
Algiers  became  a  Pachalik  of  the  Porte.  There 
are  no  records  within  my  reach  that  fix  the  period 
at  which  the  Deys  of  Algiers  became  purely  elec- 
tive as  at  present,  though  it  appears  that  they  con- 
tinued to  be  appointed  by  the  Porte  as  late  as  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  :  it  was  proba- 
bly somewhere  near  this  period,  that  the  Ottoman 
government  conceded  to  the  Turkish  garrison  of 
Algiers  the  right  of  electing  their  chiefs  ;  reserving 
to  the  Grand  Seignior  that  of  confirming  the  elec- 
tion by  sending  or  withholding  the  kaftan  and  sabre 
of  office.  The  first  Treaty  concluded  by  Great  ^ 
Britain  with  Algiers  bears  the  date  of  1682.  Hence  , 
the  origin  of  the  celebrated  Regency  of  Algiers, 
which  has  been  for  three  centuries  the  terror  of 
Christendom,  and  the  scourge  of  the  civilized 
world. 

These  simple  people  gradually  established  their> 
government  as  nearly  as  circumstances  would  per- 
mit, after  the  only  model  they  had  any  knowledge 
of,  that  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  ;  founding  then- 
institutions  upon  the  right  of  conquest,  and  reserv- 
ing to  the  corps  of  Janissaries  the  exclusive  right 
of  filling  all  the  offices  of  trust,  honour,  or  profit. 
The  merits  of  this  government  have  been  proved 
by  its  continuance,  with  few  variations  in  its  forms 


16  ^KETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

of  administration,  for  three  centuries.  It  is  in  fact 
a  military  republic  with  a  chief  elective  for  life, 
and  upon  a  small  scale  resembling  that  of  the  Ro- 
man Empire  after  the  death  of  Commodus.  This 
government  ostensibly  consists  of  a  sovereign  chief, 
who  is  termed  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  and  a  Divan,  or 
great  Council,  indefinite  in  point  of  number,  which 
is  composed  of  the  ancient  military  who  are  or  have 
been  commanders  of  corps.  The  divan  elects  the 
Deys,  and  deliberates  upon  such  affairs  as  he  choos- 
es to  lay  before  them. 

Such  is  the  theory  of  the  Algerine  Government. 
The  credit  and  importance  of  the  Divan  would  nat- 
urally vary  according  to  the  character  and  abilities 
of  the  reigning  sovereign  ;  it  was  formerly  a  real 
corps  in  the  state,  held  regular  sessions,  had  funds 
attributed  to  it,  and  claimed  to  determine  upon  all 
the  measures  of  government ;  but  it  has  dwindled 
into  a  mere  phantom  :  its  existence  even  would  be 
doubtful  if,  in  the  year  1816,  Omar  Pashaw  had  not 
formally  convened  the  Divan  to  deliberate  upon  the 
negotiations  of  the  Regency  with  Great  Britain. 
Since  the  removal  of  the  residence  of  the  Deys  of 
Algiers  into  the  Citadel,  the  Divan  may  be  regard- 
ed as  a  dead  letter  in  their  constitution.  The  Dey 
appoints  his  own  ministers,  which  are  the  Hasna- 
gee,  whose  authority  extends  over  the  national 
finances  arid  interior  concerns  ;  the  Aga,  w7ho  is 
commander  in  chief,  and  may  be  termed  minister 
of  war ;  the  Vikel  Argee,  or  minister  of  marine 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  17 

and  foreign  affairs  ;  the  Khodgia  de  Cavallas,  who 
may  be  denominated  Adjutant  General,  and  super- 
intendant  of  the  national  domain  ;  and  the  Bet  el 
Mel,  or  judge  of  inheritances.  The  post  of  the  latter 
functionary  has  risen  to  great  consideration  on  ac- 
count of  its  pecuniary  importance.  These  minis- 
ters form  the  cabinet  council  of  the  sovereign,  and 
with  him  constitute  in  fact  the  real  government  of 
Algiers,  free  of  any  control  by  the  pretended  Di- 
van. The  election  of  the  Deys  of  Algiers  should 
be  confirmed  by  the  Grand  Seignor,  who  is  their 
acknowledged  Suzerain  (paramount  lord.)  This 
recognition  is  never  refused,  and  is  by  custom  giv- 
en with  the  rank  of  Bashaw  of  three  tails,  which  is 
his  ordinary  title.  That  of  Dey  is  hardly  known  in 
Algiers,  and  is  used  only  by  foreigners  :  it  was 
probably  originally  a  nickname,  as  its  literal 
meaning  in  the  Turkish  language  is  simply,  '  uncle.' 
The  Deys  of  Algiers  assume  and  exercise  all 
the  rights  of  sovereign  authority  immediately  on 
their  election  :  their  solemn  installation  takes  place 
only  when  they  receive  the  firman  of  the  Grand 
Seignior  recognising  their  election,  with  the  Kaftan 
and  sabre  of  state,  which  are  usually  sent  as^soon 
as  may  be  by  a  Capidgi  Bashi  or  state  messenger. 
In  times  of  prosperity  Algiers  sends  a  present  to 
the  Grand  Seignior  once  in  three  years,  which  is 
usually  transported  there  with  their  ambassador  by 
a  foreign  ship  of  war  ;  and  such  is  still  the  credit  of 
the  Regency,  that  it  is  always  the  government  most 
3 


18  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

favored  here,  which  obtains  this  mission  as  a  mark 
of  honorable  preference.  This  present  is  always 
magnificent,  often  amounting  in  value  to  half  a  mil- 
lion of  dollars  ;  and  it  appears  to  be  the  only  de- 
pendence which  they  recognise  upon  the  Ottoman 
government,  whose  flag  even,  in  the  intoxication  of 
their  fancied  power,  they  have  aot  always  respected. 
In  return  for  these  presents  the  Porte  usually  sends 
them  a  vessel  of  war,  with  military  and  naval  stores, 
&c.  and  gives  them  permission  to  recruit  in  its  do- 
minions. 

Though  the  election  of  the  Dey  of  Algiers  is 
by  the  institutions  of  the  Regency  vested  in  the 
Divan,  it  is  usually  the  result  of  the  intrigues 
of  a  predominant  faction  amongst  the  Janissaries, 
and  is  generally  a  sanguinary  tragedy.  A  Dey  is 
murdered  to  make ,  room  for  some  more  fortunate 
adventurer ;  his  immediate  friends  and  adherents 
perish,  or  are  plundered  and  exiled,  and  the  public 
business  or  tranquillity  is  not  interrupted  beyond 
twenty-four  hours.  These  revolutions  succeed  each 
other  with  a  rapidity  which  can  hardly  be  credited 
by  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  barbarous 
character  and  manners  of  the  Turks.  A  Dey  of 
Algiers,  while  alive,  is  the  most  despotic  and  im- 
plicitly obeyed  monarch  on  earth  ;  but  his  reign  is 
always  precarious,  and  it  is  by  mere  accident  if 
he  dies  a  natural  death.  Any  Turk  who  has  been 
regularly  enrolled  in  the  corps  of  Janissaries  is 
eligible  to  the  eminent  post  of  Dey,  except  the  na- 


SKETCHES     OF    ALGIERS.  19 

tives  of  Bosnia  and  of  Crete ;  no  other  qualifica- 
tions are  required,  and  the  caprice  of  fortune  has 
sometimes  raised  the  most  obscure  and  ignoble 
characters  to  the  throne.  Tradition  points  out  the 
graves  of  seven  adventurers  who  were  raised  to 
the  throne  and  perished  on  the  same  day  :  as  a 
mark  of  contempt  they  were  interred  in  the  public 
highway.  Neither  can  a  person  elected  refuse  or 
resign  the  honor  of  ruling  in  Algiers  :  he  must 
either  reign  or  perish. 

The  three  provinces  are  governed  by  Beys  who 
are  appointed  by  the  sovereign,  to  whom  his  des- 
potic authority  is  delegated  as  his  lieutenants  ;  a 
Khalif,  or  intendant,is  also  appointed  to  each  by  the 
same  authority.  Each  province  is  taxed  in  a  spe- 
cific sum,  according  to  its  supposed  capacity  to  pay, 
which  is  paid  semiannually  into  the  public  treasury, 
as  will  hereafter  be  noticed  when  I  treat  of  the  re- 
venues of  this  country.  The  situation  of  these 
governors  is  necessarily  precarious,  and  the  tyran- 
ny and  oppression  which  they  exercise  within  their 
respective  jurisdictions,  to  procure  the  means  of 
keeping  their  places,  are  probably  without  a  paral- 
lel in  the  history  of  any  other  country.  Such  is  the 
wretched  condition  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  king- 

o 

dom,  that  a  mild  and  equitable  administration  by 
the  governor  of  a  province,  would  be  regarded  as 
an  attempt  at  popularity  dangerous  to  the  general 
government,  and,  as  experience  has  proved  in  seve- 


20  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS* 

ral  instances,  might  cost  the  offender  his  fortune 
and  his  life. 

The  Beys  are  required  to  render  an  account  of 
their  administration  in  person  at  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment once  every  three  lunar  years,  when  their 
public  entry  is  usually  very  splendid.  Then  the 
continuation  of  their  power,  and  even  of  their  lives, 
depends  upon  their  ability  to  satisfy  the  rapacity 
of  the  members  of  the  Regency.  I  am  informed 
on  respectable  authority,  that  each  visit  of  the  Beys 
of  Oran  and  Constantine  costs  to  those  governors 
not  less  than  three  hundred  thousand  dollars.  On 
these  occasions  it  is  necessary  to  bribe  all  the  offi- 
cers of  the  Regency  according  to  the  different  de- 
grees of  their  credit  and  influence.  No  part  how- 
ever of  these  extraordinary  contributions  goes  into 
the  public  treasury. 

The  officers  of  the  Regency  of  Algiers  receive  no 
other  salary  than  their  pay  and  rations  as  Janissaries ; 
which  is  practised  by  the  Bashaw  himself,  with  an 
appearance  of  primitive  simplicity.  They  depend 
on  the  privileges  attached  to  their  respective  offices, 
and  the  license  which  they  confer  for  every  species 
of  extortion,  in  their  various  relations  with  society. 

The  administration  of  criminal  justice  is  exclu- 
sively in  the  hands  of  the  Bashaw  and  his  minis- 
ters. Murder,  robbery,  burglary,  arson,  treason, 
adultery,  are  punished  with  death.  A  Turk  is 
strangled,  privately  if  for  a  political  crime  ;  a  na- 
tive is  hanged,  decapitated,  mutilated,  or  precipita- 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  Jl 

ted  from  a  high  wall  stuck  full  of  large  hooks, 
which  catch  the  criminal  in  his  fall,  who  perishes  in 
lingering  torture  :  in  these  cases  the  Tchaux,  or  ex- 
ecutioner, has  sometimes  the  humanity,  on  being 
well  paid  for  it,  to  strangle  his  victim  before  ho 
precipitates  him  on  the  hooks.  A  Jew  is  either 
hanged,  decapitated,  or  burned  alive.  Misdemean- 
ors and  petty  larcenies,  are  punished  by  heavy 
fines,  the  bastinado,  or  hard  labour  in  chains  :  the 
latter,  since  the  suppression  of  Christian  slavery,  is 
the  most  common  mode  of  punishment  in  practice, 
and  in  a  measure  furnishes  labourers  in  lieu  of  slaves 
upon  the  public  works. 

The  maxim  in  Algiers,  contrary  to  that  of  our 
common  law,  is,  that  it  is  better  to  punish  an  inno- 
cent person,  than  that  a  criminal  should  escape  ; 
the  accused  therefore  appear  before  their  judges 
under  great  disadvantages,  if  they  are  unable  to 
prove  their  innocence  in  a  manner  the  most  clear 
and  manifest,  or  unless  they  have  the  good  fortune 
to  enjoy  powerful  protection  ;  for  though  criminal 
justice  is  here  unembarrassed  with  forms,  and  is 
prompt  as  lightning,  it  is  nevertheless  sometimes 
stayed  by  favour.  The  post  of  Tchaux,  or  execu- 
tioner, is  considered  here  an  honorable  employment, 
and  each  public  minister  has  one  attached  to  his 
office  :  these  functionaries  rise  indifferently  with 
others  to  the  highest  offices  in  the  state.  As  in 
other  Mohammedan  countries,  the  Koran,  with  the 
commentaries  upon  it,  constitutes  their  civil  code ;  to 


22  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

which  may  be  added  the  customs  which  have  been 
established  by  past  experience  :  it  is  a  maxim  with 
the  Turks,  to  which  th^y  adhere  with  inflexible 
rigour,  that  what  has  been,  acquires  the  force  of 
law. 

For  the  administration  of  civil  justice  there  are 
appointed  in  every  government  of  the  Regency,  a 
Turkish  and  a  Moorish  Cadi,  who  hold  their  ses- 
sions daily,  Fridays  excepted,  and  hear  and  decide 
upon  all  cases  of  law  and  equity  that  may  be 
brought  before  them.  The  parties  plead  their  own 
cause,  without  the  aid  of  lawyers,  who  are  unknown 
in  this  country ;  when  judgment  is  immediately 
given.  These  courts  are  supposed  not  to  be  inac- 
cessible to  corruption,  and  the  influence  of  power, 
which  however,  it  is  probable,  are  seldom  exerted 
except  in  important  cases ;  when  the  party  aggrieved 
has  the  resource  of  carrying  his  cause  by  appeal  be- 
fore the  Mufti,  whose  judgment  is  conclusive.  The 
Muftis,  who  are  also  Turkish  and  Moorish,  hold 
their  sessions  twice  a  week.  The  jurisdictions  of 
these  courts  are  precisely  equal,  except  that  in  mixt 
cases  the  Turk  has  always  the  right  of  carrying 
his  cause  before  his  own  Cadi,  and  of  appealing  to 
his  own  Mufti.  The  courts  of  the  Cadis,  when 
there  is  the  requisite  number  of  clerks  or  Khodgias 
employed,  are  also  records  for  all  contracts  of  what 
nature  soever.  In  commercial  or  maritime  cases 
involving  complicate  circumstances,  the  foreign 
Consuls  are  assembled  in  divan  and  consulted. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  23 

The  expenses  of  all  these  proceedings  are  very 
moderate,  and  on  the  whole,  it  appears  to  be  the 
intention  of  the  government  that  impartial  justice 
should  be  distributed  in  all  cases  :  this  is  certainly 
believed  to  be  the  case,  and  together  with  the  sum- 
mary process,  and  prompt  execution  of  both  crimi- 
nal and  civil  justice,  has  a  powerful  influence  on 
_  the  wellbeing  of  society  in  Algiers.  Anciently  it 
was  necessary  to  have  been  graduated  in  the  schools 
of  either  Constantinople  or  Grand  Cairo  to  qualify 
a  man  for  the  posts  of  either  Cadi  or  Mufti ;  but 
the  Turks,  accustomed  to  discharge  the  highest 
functions  of  government  without  having  ever 
learned  to  read,  naturally  determined  that  any 
man  supposed  to  have  common  sense,  and  the  facul- 
ty of  reading  the  Koran,  might  well  enough  be 
eligible  to  those  judicial  posts.  The  Mufti,  in  the 
Algerine  Government,  is  a  mere  subordinate  officer, 
without  any  political  authority  whatever. 

A  most  important  office  under  this  government 
is  the  Bet  el  Mel,  or  judge  of  inheritances  ;  he 
pays  into  the  public  treasury  a  sum  two  thirds  as 
large  as  what  is  paid  by  the  principal  Beys,  and  is 
besides  a  cabinet  minister.  He  inherits,  ex  officio, 
the  estates  of  all  who  die  intestate,  and  without 
legal  heirs  ;  and  his  authority  extends  over  the 
whole  kingdom.  The  power  of  this  magistrate 
is  justly  dreaded  :  and  in  order  to  elude  it,  it  is  a 
common  practice  in  this  country  to  make  donations 
of  estates  by  will  to  the  holy  Khaaba  at  Mec- 


2  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

ca,  in  default  of  legal  heirs  :  this  arrangement 
completely  frustrates  the  claims  of  the  Bet  el  Mel, 
and  the  holy  city  maintains  an  agent  here  to  super- 
intend the  great  revenues  which  have  been  thus 
acquired. 

The  lands  of  this  kingdom  are  believed  to  be  all 
taken  up  and  enregistered,  as  far  as  the  real  juris- 
diction of  the  government  extends  ;  though  from 
the  frequent  and  often  arbitrary  confiscations,  the 
national  domain  must  be  immense.  Beyond  the 
immediate  precincts  of  the  principal  towns,  the 
lands  possess  very  little  value,  considered  as  real 
estate  ;  for  a  general  system  of  prohibition  of  ex- 
portation of  the  produce  of  this  country,  except  a 
few  articles  which  constitute  monopolies,  as  will 
be  hereafter  noticed,  has  reduced  the  agriculture 
and  trade  of  the  kingdom  to  a  most  deplorable  state. 

*  The  Turks,  who  govern  here,  influenced  by  their 
narrow,  selfish  views,  are  jealous  of  any  prosperi- 

_  ty    which   is   not  immediately  under  their  control. 

'It  seems  that  instinct  has  given  them  a  just  con- 
ception of  the  case  in  question  ;  for  if  agriculture 
and  commerce  were  encouraged  even  in  this  Mo- 
hammedan land,  its  natural  advantages  are  such, 
that  great  wealth  must  ensue,  and  with  it  a  degree 
of  civilization,  and  increase  of  population,  that 
would  render  it  very  difficult  for  a  handful  of  bar- 
barian adventurers  to  govern  the  country  in  their 
present  arbitrary  manner. 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS.  25 

The  government   of   Algiers   is   peculiar   in  its 
fundamental   character.     I  am  not  aware  of  there 
being  any  thing  like  it  recorded  in  modern  history, 
except  perhaps,  the  establishment  of  the   Mame- 
lukes in  Egypt.     A  small  band  of  foreign  adven- 
turers seize  upon  the  sovereign  authority,  and  ap- 
propriate to  themselves  exclusively  all  the  posts  of 
honour,  trust,  or  profit,  under  the  government  which 
they    institute.     Of  this   there   are  parallel   cases 
enough  ;   but  that  their  institutions   should    deny, 
even  to  their  own  children  born  in  the  country,  any 
share  in  the  honours  and  emoluments  of  government ; 
confining  them  exclusively  to  a  corps  of  foreigners, 
constantly  recruited  from  abroad,  is  truly  extraor- 
dinary.    Yet  such  is  the  fundamental   principle  of 
the    Regency   of  Algiers,   with   a   few   exceptions 
which  subsequent  experience  has  taught  them  were 
indispensable  ;  though  the  individuals  of  this  corps 
profess  to  have  no  other  country,   and  count  on 
establishing   their  posterity    here.     The   Ottoman 
empire   itself  exhibits  many  extraordinary  features 
in  its  political  and  civil   organization,  growing,  no 
doubt,  out  of  the  nature  of  conquest,  national  arro- 
gance, and    religious   fanaticism  :    their  existence 
where    they    are    resembles   rather   an   "  encamp- 
ment of  barbarians,"  than  an  established  govern- 
ment ;  and  Algiers  is  certainly  the   most  remarka- 
ble emanation  of  this  singular  empire. 

The  corps  of  Turks  in   the  kingdom  of  Algiers 
has  in  latter  times  seldom  exceeded  five  thousand 
4 


26  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

in  number,  and  at  this  time,  from  the  operation  of 
particular  causes,  is  probably  under  four  thousand. 
These  alone  are  eligible  to  the  high  offices  of  state, 
or  generally  of  honour  or  profit,  except  in  the  navy, 
where  native  Algerines  may  by  their  merit  rise  to 
the  highest  military  rank,  though  they  are  ineligi- 
ble to  any  of  its  civil  employments.  Rais  Hami- 
da,  grand  admiral  of  Algiers,  who  was  killed  in 
battle,  when  his  ship  was  captured  by  Commodore 
Decatur,  in  June,  18 15,  was  of  one  of  the  tribes  of 
independent  mountaineers  of  the  interior,  and  had 
risen  to  that  eminent  post  by  his  superior  intelli- 
gence and  valour.  The  sons  of  Beys  have  in  some 
instances  succeeded  their  fathers,  and  Colories* 
have  been  appointed  Kaids,  or  governors  of  districts, 
probably  through  corruption.  But  these  are  re- 
garded as  aberrations  from  the  spirit  of  their  con- 
stitution ;  and  in  consequence  of  the  revolt  of  a 
Bey  of  Oran,  who,  being  in  this  predicament, 
in  the  year  1814  marched  an  army  within  three 
leagues  of  Algiers,  it  will  probably  never  again  be 
permitted.  This  corps  is  kept  up  by  recruits  con- 
stantly drawn  from  the  Lev7ant,  who  are  generally 
the  sweepings  of  the  prisons,  and  the  refuse  of 
society  in  those  barbarous  countries. 

*J£ul  Oglei,  in  the  Turkish  language,  sons  of  Turks  born  in  Afri- 
ca,— which  in  the  Italian  and  French  has  been  softened  into  Colo- 
gli,  Colory.  I  have  preferred  the  latter,  as  more  agreeable  to  Eng- 
lish pronunciation. 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGTERS.  27 

Agents  are  maintained  by  the  Regency  in  Con- 
stantinople and  Smyrna  to  engage  recruits  and 
charter  vessels  for  their  transportation  hither.  On 
their  arrival  they  become  ipso  facto  soldiers,  are 
denominated  Janissaries,  and  are  incorporated  into 
the  different  barracks  of  the  city,  to  which  they  are 
supposed  to  belong  during  life,  whatever  may  be 
their  subsequent  fortunes.  In  these  quarters,  if 
not  called  by  some  happy  accident  into  the  admin- 
istration, they  rise  by  seniority  to  the  highest  grade 
of  pay,  and  become  members  of  the  pretended 
Divan ;  where  they  must  be  very  inept  indeed,  if 
they  do  not  obtain  some  profitable  employment. 

The  pay  of  the  Janissaries  at  its  commencement, 
on  their  arrival  as  recruits  from  the  Levant,  hardly 
exceeds  half  a  dollar  per  month,  but  by  length  of 
service  is  gradually  increased  to  about  eight  dollars, 
which  is  the  maximum.  Of  late  years,  however, 
it  has  been  a  common  practice  of  the  Deys  of  Al- 
giers to  augment  the  pay  of  the  Janissaries,  in  or- 
der to  enhance  their  popularity.  A  corps  thus 
constituted,  is  of  course  always  ripe  for  a  revolu- 
tion. Their  rations  consist  of  about  two  pounds 
of  indifferent  bread  daily,  and  all  who  are  unmar- 
ried are  lodged  in  very  spacious  and  commodious 
barracks  ;  they  find  their  own  clothing,  and  their 
own  arms  and  ammunition,  which  latter  are  fur- 
nished to  them  by  the  government  at  moderate 
prices.  A  Janissary,  when  equipped  for  battle,  has 
one  or  more  pairs  of  large  pistols  in  his  belt,  with 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

his  scimitar  or  yatagan,  a  dagger  in  his  bosom,  and 
a  long  musket  on  his  shoulder  ;  all  which  are  as 
highly  ornamented  as  his  circumstances  will  permit. 
When,  costume  included,  he  is  not  unfairly  repre- 
sented by  the  knave  of  diamonds  in  a  pack  of 
cards. 

Though  all  Turks  are  essentially  soldiers,  yet 
there  is  a  portion  of  them  separated  into  a  civil 
division,  or  class,  which  is  termed  the  corps  of 
Khodgias,  or  writers,  and  consists  of  such  as  have 
learned,  or  are  capable  of  learning  to  read  and 
write  :  this  corps  enjoys  superior  privileges,  and 
furnishes  writers  to  the  public  offices.  The  Turks 
are  a  plain,  prudent,  sensible  people,  possessing  both 
the  virtues  and  the  vices  of  their  semi-barbarous 
state;  in  general  their  word  may  be  relied  on,  and  in 
the  common  intercourse  of  life  they  are  courteous, 
friendly,  and  humane  ;  but  in  their  political  career 
they  discover  all  the  ferocity  of  barbarians.  Their 
good  sense  is  eminently  discovered  in  their  exact 
adherence  to  their  ancient  institutions,  which  has 
given  a  solidity  and  strength  to  their  government, 
to  which  it  has  few  pretensions  on  its  own  merits. 
All  quarrels  amongst  themselves  are  prohibited  un- 
der the  severest  penalties  ;  oppression  of  the  W7eak 
by  the  powerful,  is  as  common  here  as  elsewhere, 
but  I  have  never  heard  of  an  instance  of  personal 
outrage  in  public  by  one  Turk  upon  another.  The 
meanest  Turk  rejects  with  infinite  disdain  all 
equality  of  a  native  with  him ;  and  the  proposition 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  29 

which  has  been  inculcated  during  a  succession  of 
ages,  that  Turks  are  born  to  command,  and  the 
natives  of  Algiers  to  obey,  has  been  by  time  dis- 
robed of  every  thing  odious  in  its  character,  and 
has  long  since  been  received  here  as  a  political 
axiom. 

The  young  Turks  are  confined  to  the  barracks, 
with  the  liberty  of  going  out  on  Thursdays  only, 
under  the  superintendance  of  a  guardian,  who  is 
responsible  for  their  conduct  ;  until  they  can  show 
a  respectable  beard,  when  they  are  permitted  to 
take  the  turban,  and  mix  with  the  world  on  their 
own  responsibility.  Though  the  Turks,  from  good 
policy,  are  rigorous  in  observing  themselves,  and 
in  requiring  the  exact  observance  of  the  precepts  of 
their  religion,  yet  expedience  has  taught  them  the 
necessity  of  some  relaxation  in  favour  of  a  turbu- 
lent soldiery  ;  in  consequence  taverns  are  tolerated, 
and  kept  by  Jews,  for  their  accommodation,  where 
the  free  use  of  wine  and  spirits  is  connived  at,  on 
the  condition  that  no  scandalous  scenes  be  ex- 
hibited to  the  public  :  any  breach  of  this  condition 
would  be  punished  with  the  utmost  rigour.  Indeed, 
the  constraint  under  which  the  Janissaries  are  held, 
is  evidently  irksome,  as  those  who  are  not  attached 
to  the  country  by  marriage  or  lucrative  employ- 
ment, desert  whenever  they  can. 

Everything  that  can  be  done,  with  safety  to  the 
public  tranquillity,  is  put  in  practice  to  stimulate 
tlie  pride  and  arrogance  of  the  Janissaries ;  every 


30  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

where  the  Turk  has  precedence  of  the  native  ;  the 
later  on  all  occasions  submissively  makes  way  for 
him  in  the  streets.  They  have  from  time  imme- 
morial been  taught  to  believe  that  they  have  the 
right  of  entering  the  gardens  in  the  vicinity  of 
Algiers,  and  taking  fruit,  flowers,  and  vegetables  at 
discretion  ;  a  right  which  they  do  not  fail  to  exer- 
cise in  its  utmost  latitude,  not  even  excepting  those 
occupied  by  the  foreign  consuls. 

After  the  peace  of  1815,  I  represented  to  the 
reigning  sovereign,  Omar  Pacha,  the  enormity  of 
this  disgraceful  practice,  and  assured  him  that  any 
such  violation  of  my  premises  would  be  regarded 
as  a  national  injury,  and  treated  as  such.  This 
abusive  practice  was,  in  consequence,  gradually 
abolished  as  to  the  consuls  :  but  the  Janissaries  are 
still  the  scourge  and  terror  of  all  the  native  pro- 
prietors of  gardens  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Algiers. 

The  Turks  are  a  fine,  robust,  sightly  race  of 
men,  which,  with  the  consideration  of  their  privile- 
ges and  superior  prospects  in  life,  gives  them  every 
desirable  facility  in  contracting  advantageous  mar- 
riages in  this  country ;  and  an  undoubted  conse- 
quence has  been  a  melioration  of  the  race,  both 
physically  and  morally.  The  Colories,  or  sons 
of  Turks,  are  believed  to  exceed  in  number  twenty 
thousand  in  the  kingdom.  This  class  of  Algerines 
is  equally  ineligible  with  any  other  to  all  the  high 
offices  of  state  :  they  may  aspire  to  distinction  in 
the  navy,  and  to  the  posts  of  Bey  and  Kaid ;  they 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

may  wear  embroidery  of  gold,  and  enjoy  some 
other  insignificant  privileges  ;  but  they  have  no 
sympathies  with  the  Turks,  and  can  hardly  be  re- 
garded as  a  distinct  class  in  the  general'  mass  of 
Algerine  population. 

As  military  service  is  by  rotation,  the  Turks, 
without  losing  any  of  their  rights,  may  follow  any 
career  in  civil  life,  that  they  feel  themselves  qualified 
for,  or  inclined  to,  with  the  sole  condition  of  being 
ready  for  public  service  when  called  on.  And  the 
fortunes  of  those  who  estrange  themselves  from  all 
activity  in  public  affairs,  are  much  more  stable  than 
those  of  others,  who,  stimulated  by  ambition,  as- 
pire to  the  honour  and  emoluments  of  office,  which 
are  neither  acquired  nor  held  without  imminent 
danger.  It  is  certain  that  the  Turks  have  a  feeling 
towards  their  government,  that  in  its  effects  very 
nearly  resembles  patriotism  ;  and  this  the  frequent 
and  thorough  changes  in  the  public  administration 
tend  powerfully  to  stimulate  and  keep  alive  :  the 
wheel  of  fortune  turns  so  often,  that  it  seems  to  as- 
sure to  every  one  a  fair  chance.  The  following 
anecdote  fully  illustrates  this  fact. 

During  the  summer  of  my  arrival  here,  an  old 
Turk  called  on  me,  announcing  himself  as  a  Rais, 
or  Captain  in  the  navy  ;  and  informed  me  that  he 
had  made  the  voyage  from  this  place  to  Constanti- 
nople, with  Commodore  Bainbridge,  as  attached  to 
the  Algerine  legation  carried  there  by  that  officer 
in  former  times.  He  expressed  the  most  friendly 


32  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

regard  for  the  Commodore,  and  to  inquire  after  his 
health  and  welfare  appeared  to  be  the  principal 
object  of  his  visit ;  but  on  taking  leave,  he  inform- 
ed me  that  he  had  no  employment,  and  was  very 
poor,  and  requested  me  to  lend  him  a  dollar,  which 
I  did,  and  assured  him  that  whenever  his  necessi- 
ties required  it,  he  might  apply  to  me  with  the  cer- 
tainty of  finding  such  relief  as  I  had  it  in  my  power 
to  give  him.  I  afterwards  frequently  met  this  old 
gentleman  on  public  occasions,  when  he  would 
modestly  offer  me  a  friendly  pinch  of  snuff  at  a  re- 
spectful distance  from  the  official  characters  I  was 
visiting.  A  few  years  after,  this,  old  man  was 
raised  to  the  eminent  post  of  Hasnagee,  or  prime 
minister,  which  he  now  holds,  at  the  age  of  about 
ninety  years,  and  is  in  the  receipt  of  at  least 
fifty  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 

The  manly  character  of  the  -Turks,  and  the  vig- 
our of  their  government  have  certainly  had  a  favour- 
able effect  upon  the  vain,  inconstant  character  of 
the  Moors,  who,  in  this  respect,  appear  to  be  still 
the  same  frivolous  Numidians  as  described  by  Sal- 
lust* 

*  The  Algerines,  whether  Turks  or  natives,  appear,  like  many 
other  people,  to  be  fond  of  titles  of  honour  and  distinction.  The  Ba- 
shaw and  his  ministers  are  always  addressed  by  the  title  of  EfFendi, 
which  is  a  'Jurkish  term  equivalent  to  Excellency.  A  person  who 
lias  visited  the  holy  city  of  Mecca,  whoever  he  may  be,  adds  the  title 
of  Hadji  to  his  name.  Also  the  titles  of  appointments  held  by  au- 
thority are  invariably  and  forever  added  to  the  names  of  the  posses- 
sors ;  as  Ag-a,  Bey,  Kaid,  Rais,  &c. 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

The  Turks  in  establishing  their  government  in 
Algiers,  appear  to  have  counted  upon  the  fruits  of 
piracy  as  the  main  source  of  their  revenues;  and 
the  mutual  jealousies,  imbecility,  and  interested 
policy  of  the  Christian  maritime  world,  have  borne 
them  out  in  their  calculations ;  for  until  of  late 
years,  it  has  not  only  supplied  all  their  wants,  but 
through  it  a  metallic  treasury  has  been  hoarded,  that 
might  probably  sustain  them  for  many  years  to  come. 
Since  1815,  they  have  derived  no  benefit  from  pil- 
lage ;  and  the  receipts  into  the  treasury,  and  ex- 
penditures of  this  singular  government,  for  the 
year  1822,  as  stated  below,  may  be  regarded  as 
the  annual  average  since  that  epoch.  The  internal 
taxes  are  assessed  according  to  the  precepts  of  the 
Koran,  and  if  the  same  good  faith  were  observed 
in  their  collection,  they  would  not  only  be  light, 
but  afford  a  more  abundant  revenue.  But  the  Turk- 
ish administration  in  Algiers  possesses  all  the  vices, 
without  any  of  the  advantages  of  a  privileged  cor- 
poration ;  to  enrich  themselves  individually,  is  the 
most  important  consideration,  and  this  is  rendered 
more  intense  by  the  factious  character  of  the  gov- 
ernment, and  the  uncertainty  of  the  tenure  by 
which  they  hold  their  places.  The  Beys  of  pro- 
vinces and  Governors  of  districts  are  held  respon- 
sible for  the  assessed  taxes,  and  through  their  mili- 
tary agents,  they  take  from  the  people  all  that  is 
tangible.  This  intolerable  oppression  has  depopu- 
lated the  country,  by  driving  the  inhabitants  from 
5  " 


34  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

the  fertile  plains  into  less  accessible  positions  in 
the  mountains,  and  into  the  borders  of  the  desert 
This  state  of  things  evidently  tends  to  the  extinc- 
tion of  this  "  legitimate"  and  "  amiable  institu- 
tion ;"  and  unless  the  Holy  Alliance  should  in  their 
wisdom  deem  it  expedient  to  support  them,  it  ap- 
pears to  me  that  they  must  at  no  distant  period  be 
numbered  with  the  scourges  of  civilization  that 
have  been. 

Jin  Account  of  the  Receipts  into  the   Treasury  in  1822 

in  Spanish  dollars. 
From  the  Bey  of  Oran,  a  tax  assessed  upon  that 

province .    $60,000 

From  the   same,  for  the  franchise  for  exportation 

from  Oran 15,000 

From  the  Bey  of  Constantine,  a  tax  assessed  upon 

that  province 60,000 

From   seven    Kaids    dependent   upon  the   general 

government,  assessed 16,000 

From  the  Bet  el  Mel,  or  judge  of  inheritances,  an  as- 
sessed tax 40,000 

From  the  Scheich  el  Belled  an  assessed  tax  ...  3,000 
From  the  Bey  of  Titterie,  a  tax  assessed  upon  that 

province 4,000 

From  the  Khodgia  of  hides,  a  tax  assessed  upon  his 

office 4,000 

From  the  Khodgia  of  the  custom-house  the  same  .  800 
From  the  Jewish  nation  an  assessed  tax  ....  6,000 

From  the  customs  on  importations 20,000 

From  the  rents  of  the  national  domain  in  the  city  of 

Algiers 40,000 

|268,800 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  35 

Amount  brought  up 268,800 

From  the  government  of  France  for  the  monopoly  of 

the  coral  fishing  at  Bona 30,000 

From  the  monoplie?  of  wool,  wax,  and  hides     .     .  40,000 

Tribute  paid  annually  by  the  king  of  Naples     .      .  24,000 

by  the  king  of  Sweden     .     .  24,000 

by  the  king  of  Denmark      „  24,000 

by  the  king  of  Portugal    .     .  24,000 


$434,800 

Besides  the  above,  the  Regency  also  receives  annually  as 
a  tax  from  various  Arab  Scheichs  two  hundred  thousand  mea- 
sures of  wheat,  ancf  from  the  Beys  of  Constantine  and  Oran, 
ten  thousand  measures  of  barley  each,  wliich  serve  for  the 
subsistence  of  the  seamen,  soldiers,  and  labourers  in  the  pub- 
lic service. 

Jin  Account  of  the  Public  Expenditure  of  the  Regency  in 

the  year  1822. 
Annual  expense  of  labourers,  artificers,  &tc.  in  the 

dock-yards 24,000 

Annual  purchase  of  timber,  cordage,  and  other  stores 

for  naval  purposes ,  60,000 

Annual  pay  of  navy  officers  and  enrolled  seamen          75,000 
Annual  pay  of  the  military  of  all  classes     .     .     .        700,000 


$859,000 

This  leaves  an  annual  balance  against  the  treasury  of 
$'424,200.  The  above  statements  were  furnished  to  me  as 
correct,  by  a  person  who  has  access  to  the  public  records. 

The  military  establishment  of  this  government 
consists  of  about  fifteen  thousand  men,  including 
Turks,  Colories,  and  Arabs  ;  the  two  former  are 


o  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

infantry,  and  the  latter  cavalry.  These  troops  are 
distributed  in  garrisons  and  flying  camps,  in  the 
capital  and  throughout  the  kingdom,  the  Turkish 
part  of  which  is  relieved  annually.  They  are  em- 
ployed in  keeping  the  peace,  and  in  the  collection 
of  the  public  revenues.  In  this  army,  a  large  part 
of  which,  namely,  the  Turks  and  Colories,  are 
merely  enrolled  and  doing  military  duty  only  by 
rotation,  there  is  nothing  that  can  be  properly 
termed  organization  or  discipline  ;  and  on  the  whole 
they  probably  form  the  most  inefficient  body  of 
military  that  was  ever  put  under  arms.  The  Jan- 
issaries are  attached  to  the  barracks,  where  they 
were  originally  incorporated  on  their  arrival,  and 
there  they  rise  by  seniority  to  the  command  of  de- 
tachments, and  of  corps  ;  and  this  is  the  only  real 
organization  or  system  that  I  have  been  able  to  dis- 
cover amongst  them. 

The  Algerine  Navy  formerly  consisted  of  nume- 
rous row-gallies  and  xebecs  ;  in  latter  times  it 
has  been  modelled  after  the  European  improvements 
in  naval  architecture  and  maritime  warfare,  through 
the  attention  of  the  governments  of  Europe  in  main- 
taining here  skilful  naval  constructors  and  engineers. 
Previously  to  the  peace  of  June  1815,  their  marine 
consisted  of  four  frigates  of  from  forty-four  to  fifty 
guns,  one  of  thirty-eight  guns,  one  sloop  of  war  of 
thirty,  one  of  twenty-six,  one  of  twenty-two,  one 
of  twenty,  a  brig  of  twenty,  and  a  galley  of  five 
guns,  with  about  thirty  gun  and  mortar  boats. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  37 

These  vessels  were  destroyed  by  the  combined 
British  and  Dutch  fleets  in  August,  1816.  But 
the  Algerines  have  since  restored  their  navy  by 
purchase,  construction,  and  presents  from  the  Porte, 
the  Emperor  of  Morocco,  and  the  Bashaw  of  Tri- 
poli, to  a  footing  as  efficient  for  any  purpose  which 
they  can  have  in  view,  as  it  ever  was.  As  the 
number  of  their  vessels  is  necessarily  variable,  a 
note  of  the  actual  state  of  their  navy  will  be  given 
at  the  end  of  this  chapter. 

The  Marine  Arsenal  of  Algiers  is  always  well 
supplied  with  timber,  and  every  thing  necessary  for 
the  construction,  armament,  equipment,  and  re- 
pairs of  vessels  of  war  of  all  classes,  from  a  first- 
rate  frigate  downwards.  This  government  main- 
tains constantly  in  its  service  a  body  of  about  three 
thousand  seamen,  which  in  cases  of  emergency 
may  be  increased  to  six  thousand  men.  The  ves- 
sels of  the  Algerines  considered  as  ships  of  war  are 
perfectly  contemptible ;  they  have  little  skill  as 
seamen,  or  acquaintance  with  naval  warfare,  and 
the  desperate  intrepidity  for  which  the  spirit  of  in- 
trigue and  the  base  cupidity  of  Europe  have  given 
them  credit,  is  purely  gratuitous,  without  any 
foundation  whatever.  But  their  activity  in  fitting  a 
squadron  for  sea  is  probably  not  surpassed  by  any 
other  people.  On  board  of  a  frigate  of  the  first 
class  they  embark  upwards  of  five  hundred  men, 
about  one  hundred  of  whom  are  Turks,  who  may 
be  regarded  as  the  corps  of  officers  and  marines  ;  and 


38  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

about  the  same  proportion  is  observed  in  the  crews 
of  their  smaller  cruisers. 

Such  is  the  far-famed  Regency  of  Algiers,  the 
theme  of  poets,  the  terror  of  nurseries,  and  the  cause 
of  so  much  national  degradation.  And  it  cannot  fail 
to  excite  the  astonishment  of  the  reader,  that  so  in- 
significant and  worthless  a  power,  should  have  been 
so  long  permitted  to  vex  the  commercial  world  and 
extort  ransom  at  discretion ;  and  that  while  the  great 
maritime  powers  of  Europe  were  establishing  colo- 
nies at  a  vast  expense  of  human  life  and  of  treas- 
ure, at  the  utmost  extremities  of  the  earth,  a  mere 
handful  of  mischievous  banditti  has  been  left  in  the 
quiet  enjoyment  of  the  fairest  portion  of  the  globe, 
at  their  very  threshold,  and  receiving  from  them 
submission,  little  short  of  homage. 

The  Algerines,  having  established  their  political 
system  upon  the  basis  of  piracy,  audaciously  claim 
of  right  to  be  at  war  with  all  the  Christian  govern- 
ments of  the  world  who  do  not  conciliate  them  by 
treaties.  I  shall  treat  of  this  subject  at  some 
length  in  a  subsequent  chapter  ;  it  appears  suffi- 
cient to  state  here,  that  Great  Britain,  France,  the 
United  States,  Sardinia,  and  Holland  have  at  dif- 
ferent periods  resisted  the  insolent  pretensions  of 
the  Regency,  and  their  actual  ^relations  with  Al- 
giers are  regulated  by  independent  treaties,  they 
paying  no  tribute  under  any  form  whatever.  Spain 
was  in  the  same  situation  until  lately,  but  is  now 
in  a  state  of  quasi  war  with  them.  The  imperial 


SKETCHES    OP    ALGIERS.  39 

Russian  and  Austrian  governments  regard  Algiers 
as  a  province  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  and  compel 
the  Porte  to  prevent  any  hostilities  against  their 
flags.  Sweden,  Denmark,  Portugal,  and  Naples 
pay  an  annual  tribute  ;  and  the  Grand  Duke 
of  Tuscany  purchased  a  peace  with  them  at  a 
price  paid  once  for  all.  The  great  advantages 
which  the  Regency  derives  from  a  free  intercourse 
with  the  port  of  Leghorn,  where  they  often  send 
their  ships  to  be  repaired,  were  the  reason  why  this 
prince  obtained  peace  on  very  easy  terms.  With 
all  the  other  Christian  powers  they  affect  to  be  at 
war.  The  powers  who  have  treaties  with  Algiers 
maintain  diplomatic  agents  there,  who  are  styled 
Consuls  General,  and  who  generally  enjoy  the 
rights,  privileges,  and  immunities,  which  the  Otto- 
man Porte  recognises  in  relation  to  the  foreign  min- 

o  o 

isters  resident  at  Constantinople,  with  the  exception 
of  the  right  of  asylum,  which  has  never  been  recog- 
nised in  Algiers,  or  is  at  least  doubtful. 

According  to  an  oriental  practice  of  the  remotest 
antiquity,  it  is  customary  in  Algiers,  on  the  pre- 
sentation of  a  Consul,  to  make  a  present  to  the 
Dey  and  officers  of  the  Regency.  This  custom 
was  in  its  principle,  doubtless,  a  mere  mark  of  vol- 
untary courtesy  ;  but  in  the  course  of  time  and  the 
progress  of  the  degradation  of  Christian  powers  in 
Algiers,  it  has  become  a  real  tribute,  the  amount  of 
which  is  now  fixed  by  custom  at  about  $17,000  ; 
and  inquiry  is  made,  previous  to  permission  being 


40  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

given  to   a  Consul  to  land,  if  he  has  brought  the 
customary   present.     In   the  distribution   of  these 
presents,  there  is  shown  no  expression  of  satisfac- 
tion at  receiving  them  :    on  the  contrary,  they  are 
frequently  sent  back  as  of  insufficient  value  ;    a  ne- 
gotiation then   ensues  between   the   giver  and  the 
receiver,  which  generally  terminates  in   favour  of 
the  latter.     In  short,  the  presents  which  are  made 
in  Algiers  on  the  introduction  of  Consuls,  have  long 
ceased  to  preserve  the  character  of  gratuitous  gifts  ; 
and  the  Regency  have  carried  their  insolence  to  the 
extent  of  requiring,  on  the  pretext  of  Consuls  be- 
ing  seldom    changed,  that   they   should    be  made 
every  second  year,  and   this    pretension   has  been 
acquiesced  in  by  the  tributary  powers.    They  have 
now    acquired  the    denomination  of  biennial   pre- 
sents, and  it  has   occurred  here,  that  the  consular 
and  biennial  presents  have  been   made  at  the  same 
time    as    distinct,    dues.       Great    Britain,    though 
she   has  generally   changed  her   Consuls  on  com- 
plaint  of  the   Regency,    has   been    very    reserved 
on  the  article  of  presents,  and  has  seldom  on  these 
occasions  given  any  thing  beyond  the  usual  amount 
paid   by   the   tributary    states.      But   France   and 
Spain,  on  the  vain  pretext  of  royal  magnificence, 
have   doubled,    tripled,   and  even    quadrupled   the 
usual  amount  on  the  presentation  of  their  Consuls. 
On  a  squadron  or   ship  of  war  anchoring  before 
Algiers,  it  is  saluted  with  twenty-one  guns,  which 
is  returned  by  an  equal  number.    If  the  command- 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  il 

er  lands  he  is  also  saluted  with  five  guns,  and  with 
tliu  same  on  his  final  departure.  A  Consul,  on 
his  landing  or  taking  leave,  is  also  saluted  with 
five  guns.  If  a  squadron  or  single  ship  of  war  re- 
main three  days  in  the  roads,  a  present,  consisting 
of  bullocks,  poultry,  bread,  fruits,  and  vegetables,  is 
sent  on  board.  The  Consuls  are  required  to  pay 
for  the  salute  forty  dollars,  and  for  the  present  four- 
teen dollars. 

A  stern  and  rather  imposing  simplicity  charac- 
terizes this  government  in  its  external  forms,  in 
which  its  pretensions  are  proclaimed  in  the  most 
unequivocal  manner.  The  Bashaw  seated  on  his 
throne,  gives  audience  in  ordinary  to  all  the  officers  of 
his  government  at  daylight  immediately  after  morn- 
ing prayers,  when  he  hears  their  reports,  and  issues 
his  orders.  When  he  rises  to  depart,  they  all  bow 
their  heads  to  the  ground,  and  cry  with  a  loud 
voice,  "  God  preserve  our  Sovereign ;"  as  in  re- 
tiring he  passes  the  different  corps,  who  are  always 
arranged  together,  he  slowly  turns  and  with  his 
hand  on  his  heart,  returns  their  salute  ;  to  which 
they,  again  bowing,  reply,  "  God  preserve  our 
Sovereign." 

These  occasions  are  usually  chosen  for  the  de- 
position of  the  Deys  of  Algiers.  As  the  Bashaw 
rises  from  his  throne,  the  conspirators  rush  forward, 
seize  him  by  his  girdle,  and  either  despatch  him 
on  the  spot,  or  lead  him  off  to  be  strangled  secun- 
6 


42  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

dum  artem  ;  when  his  successor  is  immediately  en- 
throned in  his  stead. 

The  festivals  at  the  close  of  the  Ramadan  or 
Mohammedan  fast,  and  the  Beyram,  forty  days  af- 
terwards, are  ushered  in  by  the  thunder  of  cannon, 
and  other  demonstrations  of  jubilee  and  public  re- 
joicing to  the  faithful.  On  these  occasions,  public 
games  are  exhibited  at  the  palace,  where  also  a 
public  table  is  spread,  and  every  thing  indicates 
joy  and  festivity.  The  foreign  Consuls  are  invited 
to  attend  these  festivals,  but  they  appear  there 
rather  as  appendages  of  the  power  of  the  Bashaw, 
and  to  do  him  homage,  than  as  the  representatives 
of  independent  states  ;  for  they  are  confounded 
with  the  multitude  of  spectators,  having  no  place 
assigned  to  them,  and  in  paying  their  respects  to 
the  Sovereign,  are  permitted  to  precede  only  the 
chiefs  of  the  Jews.  As  a  more  positive  mark  of 
homage,  foreign  Consuls  were  required  to  kiss  the 
Bashaw's  hand  on  paying  their  respects  to  him,  on 
all  occasions.  Great  Britain,  France,  Spain,  and 
the  United  States,  having  successively  emancipa- 
ted themselves  from  this  degrading  demonstration 
of  submission,  it  has  been  very  lately  abolished  as 
to  the  Consuls  generally;  at  present,  we  touch  his 
hand  only  in  bowing  to  him  ;  even  attendance 
at  all  upon  these  festivals,  begins  to  be  neglected 
on  different  pretexts. 

Another  ceremony  in  practice  here  in  the  spring, 
is  completely  demonstrative  of  the  insolent  preten- 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  43 

sions  of  the  Turks,  as  conquerors.  The  Hasna- 
gee,  as  lieutenant  of  the  Bashaw  on  this  occasion, 
encamps  without  the  eastern  gate  of  the  city,  hav- 
ing two  of  his  three  horse  tails  displayed  defore  his 
tent.  The  Aga,  who  on  this  occasion  represents 
a  native  Scheich,  appears  before  him  as  a  suppli- 
ant to  do  him  homage,  and  is  ordered,  in  an  impe- 
rious tone  and  manner,  to  furnish  a  hundred  or 
more  sheep  for  the  refreshment  of  his  troops,  and 
immediately  to  slaughter  one  with  his  own  hands  for 
His  Excellency's  table.  These  requisitions  are  in- 
stantly furnished,  and  others  of  poultry,  eggs,  cous- 
cousou,  &c.  are  successively  made  and  instantly 
complied  with,  without  a  murmur,  by  the  obsequious 
Scheich  ;  when  he  is  required  to  produce  a  sum  of 
money  for  the  payment  of  the  troops,  &c.  At  this 
demand  the  Arab  demurs,  pleads  his  poverty,  and 
various  misfortunes  which  he  states,  that  put  it  out 
of  his  power  to  furnish  the  sum  required  of  him  by 
His  Excellency,  though  he  has  all  the  good  will 
to  do  so  imaginable.  The  Hasnagee  then  affects 
the  highest  degree  of  wrath,  threatens  to  decapi- 
tate him  on  the  spot,  and  finally  orders  the  Scheich 
to  be  bound  and  bastanadoed  until  he  produces  the 
sum  of  money  required.  This  order  is  put  into  im- 
mediate preparatqry  execution  ;  the  Arab  endeav- 
ours to  capitulate  for  a  smaller  sum,  but  all  his  ex- 
postulations being  found  of  no  avail,  the  Elders  of 
his  tribe  come  forward  to  his  relief,  and  the  sum  re- 
quired is  made  up  amongst  them,  and  placed  at 


44 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 


His  Excellency's  feet.  The  latter  then  assumes 
an  air  of  the  utmost  amenity,  gives  the  Scheich 
his  hand  to  kiss,  styles  him  his  friend,  places  him 
by  his  side,  and  treats  him  with  coffee,  &c.  Thus 
ends  this  farce,  which  is  indeed  a  faithful  repre- 
sentation of  the  government  of  Algiers,  in  its  rela- 
tions with  the  natives. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Algerine  Navy,  in 
March,  1825. 


Frigates. 


Corvettes. 


Brigs. 


Schooners. 


Polaccre  Ship 
Xebec 


Moftah  Elgiaha,      mounting 

Benlhawas, 

Nepher  Scander, 

Mazehar  Estavfie, 

Fassia, 

Nemati  Hud  a, 

Mujdaras, 

Falislam, 

Giaeran, 

Tongarda, 

Suria, 

Sciaene  Daria, 

Zagara, 

Majorca, 


" 
" 
" 

" 
" 
" 

" 

" 
" 

" 
" 


62  guns 

50  guns 

40  guns 

36  guns 

46  guns 

18  guns 
16  guns 

24  guns 

14  guns 

14  guns 

no  guns 

no  guns 

20  guns 

10  guns. 


There  are  besides,  in  the  dock-yard,  three  new 
schooners  on  the  stocks,  which  may  be  launched 
in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  summer  ;  and  thirty- 
five  indifferent  gun- boats. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  45 


CHAPTER  III. 

CITY  OF  ALGIERS  ;  ITS  POSITION,  EXTENT,  TOPOGRAPHY,  AND 
FORTIFICATIONS  ;  GARRISON,  AND  GOVERNMENT,  CIVIL  AND 
MILITARY  ;  WEALTH  OF  THE  INHABITANTS,  AND  SECURITY 
OF  PERSON  AND  PROPERTY  ;  VARIETY  AND  CHARACTER  OF 
THE  INHABITANTS  ;  STATE  OF  THE  SCIENCES  ;  EDUCATION 
OF  CHILDREN  ;  DRESS  ;  BEAUTY  OF  THE  WOMEN,  MELIORA- 
TION OF  MOHAMMEDAN  CUSTOMS  IN  THEIR  FAVOUR, 
AND  THEIR  DRESS  ;  DIET  ;  JEWS,  THEIR  CIVIL  CONDITION, 
AND  THE  OPPRESSION  UNDER  WHICH  THEY  LIVE  ;  FOR- 
EIGN AFRICANS  RESIDENT  IN  THE  CITY  ;  MECHANIC  ARTS, 
AND  MANUFACTURES  ;  HOUSES,  STREETS,  AND  QUARTERS  ; 
SUPERSTITIOUS  APPREHENSION  OF  THE  AJ.GERINES  ;  PUB- 
LIC EDIFICES,  AND  PIOUS  FOUNDATIONS  ;  CONDITION  OF 
CHRISTIAN  SLAVES  HERE,  WHILE  THERE  WERE  SUCH  ; 
COMMERCE  ;  OPULENCE  OF  ALGIERS,  AND  ITS  EFFECTS  ; 
SOCIETY  OF  THE  FOREIGN  AGENTS  ;  PLAIN  OF  METIJAH  J 
WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 

THE  city  of  Algiers,  in  Arabic  Alghezire,  or  the 
Island,  termed  "  the  warlike,"  is  the  centre  of  all 
the  wealth,  power,  and  importance  of  this  absurd 
empire.  Here  are  their  arsenals,  which,  through 
the  contributions  of  tributary  kingdoms,  are  abun- 
dantly furnished  with  every  sort  of  military  and 
naval  munitions,  and  implements  of  war,  proper  for 
offence  or  defence.  Here  reside  the  agents  of  for- 
eign powers  for  the  purposes  of  submission  or  in- 
trigue ;  and  here  has  often  been  exhibited  to  the 
world  the  edifying  spectacle  of  the  representatives 


46  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

of  even  powerful  sovereigns,  loaded  with  chains, 
and  compelled  to  hard  labour  in  the  stone  quarries, 
in  order  to  stimulate  the  tardy  munificence  of  their 
masters. 

According  to  Doctor  Shaw,  the  city  of  Algiers 
stands  upon  the  site  of  the  ancient  Icosium,  in 
north  latitude  36°  48',  and  east  longitude  3°  27', 
near  the  western  extremity  of  a  beautiful  bay  of 
about  fifteen  miles  circuit.  In  the  bay,  there  is 
every  where  safe  anchorage,  in  from  sixty  to  eight 
fathoms,  on  a  clean  bottom  of  sand  and  mud. 

The  mole  has  been  formed  at  immense  labour 
and  expense,  by  uniting  the  little  island  which 
gives  its  name  to  the  city,  to  the  main  land,  by  a 
solid  causeway  of  stone,  on  which  is  erected  a  no- 
ble range  of  magazines  ;  and  by  building  a  solid 
quay  in  six  fathoms  water,  round  the  south  end  of 
the  island,  it  is  now  capable  of  giving  shelter  to 
about  fifty  sail  of  vessels.  All  the  approaches  by 
sea  to  Algiers  are  defended  by  such  formidable 
works,  mounted  with  heavy  cannon,  as  to  render 
any  direct  attack  by  ships  a  desperate  undertaking, 
if  they  were  defended  with  ordinary  skill  and  spirit. 

The  attack  by  the  combined  British  and  Dutch 
fleets,  in  August,  1816,  has  fixed  the  minimum  of 
naval  force  by  which  the  port  of  Algiers  may  be 
assailed,  and  since  that  affair  a  battery  of  thirty- 
six  pieces  of  heavy  cannon  has  been  constructed 
opposite  to  the  mole  head,  which  rakes  the  position 
taken  by  lord  Exmouth's  fleet,  so  that  it  seems 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS.  47 

certain  that  a  similar  attack  would  not  again  suc- 
ceed ;  but  as  vessels  may  be  anchored  in  the  bay 
without  the  range  of  cannon  shot,  the  city  may 
always  be  bombarded  with  complete  effect.  Al- 
giers stands  upon  rather  a  wide  base  on  the  sea- 
shore, rises  in  amphitheatre  upon  a  very  quick 
acclivity,  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  contains  from  eight  to  ten  thousand 
houses.  The  streets  are  very  narrow,  the  tops  of 
the  houses  closing  so  near  together  as  to  entirely 
shade  them  from  the  rays  of  the  sun,  so  that,  by 
means  of  its  flat- terraced  roofs,  there  might  proba- 
bly be  established  a  communication  throughout  its 
different  quarters.  It  is  surrounded  by  high  walls, 
with  bastions  and  a  dry  ditch,  has  no  suburbs,  and 
is  entered  by  four  gates.  If  the  lines  forming  its 
north  and  south  sides  were  continued  a  little  fur- 
ther, they  would,  with  its  base,  give  it  the  form  of 
a  triangle,  its  narrow  summit  is  crowned  by  the 
Casauba,  or  citadel,  which  effectually  commands 
the  city,  and  the  marine  batteries. 

The  population  of  this  city  appears  to  me  to 
have  been  greatly  exaggerated  by  all  who  have 
attempted  descriptions  of  it.  Doctor  Shaw  re- 
presents it  as  above  one  hundred  thousand  souls. 
By  comparison  with  other  cities  whose  population 
is  correctly  known,  I  should  not  estimate  it  at 
above  half  that  number, 

Algiers,  as  discovered  from  the  sea,  resem- 
bles in  form  and  colour  a  ship's  topsail,  spread 


48  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

out  upon  a  green  field  ;  and,  with  its  surrounding 
hilly  and  well  cultivated  territory,  thickly  studded 
with  white  buildings,  several  of  which  are  magni- 
ficent edifices,  developes,  on  approach,  one  of  the 
most  agreeable  views  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean. Though  great  pains  have  been  taken  to 
fortify  all  the  direct  approaches  by  sea  to  this  city, 
it  is  on  the  land  side  nearly  defenceless. 

Cape  Caxin  is  situated  about  northwest  from 
Algiers,  distant  three  miles,  and  forms  the  western 
extremity  of  the  bay.  It  is  a  considerable  promon- 
tory, and  rises  abruptly  from  the  sea  to  the  height 
of  about  two  hundred  yards,  when  it  slopes  away 
in  a  circular  manner  round  the  city,  and  terminates 
in  a  level  plain  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  El  Arasch, 
which  descends  from  the  vast  plain  of  Metijah,  and 
disembogues  into  the  sea  about  three  miles  distant, 
southeast  of  Algiers.  This  promontory  slopes  off 
more  abruptly  to  the  westward,  and  terminates  in 
that  direction  in  the  fine  bay  called  Sidi  Fenajh, 
where  the  anchorage  is  as  good  as  in  that  of  Al- 
giers, with  safe,  smooth  landing  in  fine  weather, 
and  where  there  is  a  well  of  good  water.  A  marra- 
bout,  where  there  is  a  small  but  conspicuous  castle, 
mounted  with  two  or  three  cannon,  indicates  this 
point.  The  anchorage,  landing,  and  well  of  water 
are  to  the  eastward  of  the  marrabout. 

From  the  point  of  Cape  Caxin  to  the  city  there 
is  a  good  road,  winding  along  the  seashore,  at  the 
foot  of  the  hills.  This  part  of  the  coast  is  rocky  > 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  49 

and  abrupt,  and  without  safe  anchorage.  On  the 
right  hand  the  mountains  rise  in  a  quick  acclivity, 
and  near  the  city  a  deep  gorge  penetrates  into  the 
country,  where  are  many  villas  in  romantic  situa- 
tions. The  landing-places  in  this  direction  are  de- 
fended by  batteries  of  cannon.  From  the  city  to 
the  mouth  of  the  river  El  Arasch,  there  is  also  a 
good  road  along  the  seashore,  which  is  a  fine, 
sandy  beach,  forming  a  part  of  the  bay.  On  the 
right  of  this  road,  there  is  a  fine,  fertile  plain,  in 
its  whole  extent,  of  about  a  third  or  half  a  mile  in 
width,  from  whence  the  hills  rise  in  quick  succes- 
sion, and  craggy  acclivities,  occasionally  receding 
into  gorges.  The  whole  of  this  plain  is  well  in- 
habited, and  it  furnishes  abundance  of  vegetables 
for  the  consumption  of  the  city.  The  landing, 
which  is  every  where  practicable  in  fine  weather, 
is  defended  by  formidable  castles,  lines,  and  bat- 
teries. From  the  river  El  Arasch  to  Cape  Mata- 
fous,  or  Tementfous,  the  distance  is  about  nine 
miles,  which  completes  the  eastern  part  of  the  Bay 
of  Algiers  ;  in  its  whole  extent,  it  is  a  fine  sandy 
beach,  affording  every  where  good  landing,  and  is 
defended  by  several  castles  and  batteries.  From 
the  beach  the  land  rises  rather  abruptly  about 
thirty  or  forty  feet  to  a  level  plain,  which  is  a  con- 
tinuation of  that  of  Metijah. 

From  the  Bab  el  Wed,  or  north  gate  of  the  city, 
by  a  steep  paved  road,  running  parallel  with  the 
line  of  the  north  walls  to  the  southwest  angle  of 


50  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

the  Casauba,  the  distance  is  about  ten  minutes 
moderate  walk  ;  from  thence  to  the  castle  called 
del  Emperador,  about  a  mile  by  an  unequal,  rough 
road,  in  some  parts  paved.  The  castle  del  Em- 
perador is  an  irregular  polygon,  with  bastions  of 
about  five  hundred  yards  circuit,  and  commands 
the  city  of  Algiers  ;  it  is  without  fosses,  covered 
ways,  or  advanced  works  of  any  kind  Its  walls, 
which  are  of  brick,  rise  on  some  of  its  sides  to  the 
enormous  height  of  one  hundred  feet,  on  others, 
they  are  much  lower,  according  to  the  irregularity 
of  the  ground  on  which  it  stands  ;  on  its  southwest 
side  they  do  not  appear  to  be  higher  than  about 
twenty  feet.  On  the  right  of  the  road  leading  from 
the  Casauba,  there  are  heights  which  command  it, 
at  a  distance  of  about  three  hundred  yards,  and  the 
castle  is  commanded  westward  by  other  heights,  at 
a  distance  of  about  twro  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 

From  the  castle  del  Emperador,  on  a  line  by 
compass  west  by  south  to  the  sea,  in  the  bay  of 
Sidi  Ferrajh,  the  distance  is  about  nine  miles,  over 
a  plain,  clear,  fertile  country,  gently  undulating, 
and  perfectly  practicable  for  artillery,  or  indeed 
any  species  of  carriage.  On  this  road,  which  I 
travelled  over  in  company  with  fifteen  persons  at  a 
moderate  walk  on  horseback,  in  three  hours  by  my 
watch,  we  found  an  abundance  of  living  water,  at 
distances  not  exceeding  half  a  mile  from  each  oth- 
er. From  the  last  springs,  however,  to  the  marra- 
bout  of  Sidi  Ferrajh,  the  course  change^  to  west- 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  51 

northwest  by  compass,  and  the  distance  is  about 
three  miles  over  a  sandy  barren  country,  covered 
with  brambles.  The  marrabout  of  Sidi  Ferrajh,  and 
the  small  castle  which  protects  it,  stand  upon  a 
comparatively  high,  rocky,  presqu^ile,  which  is 
susceptible  of  being  fortified,  and  rendered  a  secure 
military  post.  On  the  beach  contiguous  to  this 
presqu^ile,  there  is  a  well  of  good  water,  furnish- 
ed with  a  stone  reservoir  for  watering  the  flocks 
which  feed  in  the  neighbourhood,  of  which  we  saw 
several  attended  by  Arabs. 

The  several  expeditions  against  Algiers,  where 
land  forces  have  been  employed,  have  landed  in  the 
bay  eastward  of  the  city  ;  which  is  evidently  an 
error,  and  discovers  an  unpardonable  ignorance  of 
the  coast  and  topography  of  the  country,  for  all 
their  means  of  defence  are  concentrated  there. 
But  it  is  obvious  that  any  force  whatever  might  be 
landed  in  the  fine  bay  of  Sidi  Ferrajh  without  op- 
position, whence  by  a  single  march  they  might  ar- 
rive upon  the  heights  wrhich  command  the  castle  del 
Emperador,  when,  as  nothing  could  prevent  an  ap- 
proach to  the  foot  of  its  walls,  they  might  be  either 
scaled  or  breached  by  a  mine  in  a  short  time. 
This  position  being  mastered,  batteries  might  be 
established  on  a  height  commanding  the  citadel, 
which  is  indicated  by  two  cylindrical  ruins  of 
windmills,  and  where  are  the  ruins  of  a  fortress 
which  was  called  the  Stau,  which  the  jealous  fears 
of  this  government  caused  to  be  destroyed,  for  the 


52  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

reason  here  alleged,  that  it  commanded  the  citadel, 
and  consequently  the  city.  The  fleet  which  had 
landed  the  troops,  would  by  this  time  appear  in  the 
bay  to  distract  their  attention,  when  Algiers  must 
either  surrender  at  discretion  or  be  taken  by  storm. 

There  is  usually  in  Algiers  a  Turkish  garrison  of 
from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  men,  which 
consists  principally  of  young  recruits  that  are  here 
disciplined  for  interior  service,  and  aged  veterans. 

Besides  the  general  administration  of  the  king- 
dom, which  is  resident  here,  there  is  a  local  govern- 
ment of  the  city,  consisting  of  the  Scheich  el 
Belled,  or  civil  governor ;  the  Kiah,  or  command- 
ant of  the  city  militia  ;  the  Aga  de  Kul,  or  super- 
intendant  of  the  police ;  and  the  Mesouar,  whose 
functions  extend  over  the  public  baths,  and  houses 
of  prostitution  :  these  functionaries  are  natives. 
There  is  probably  no  city  in  the  world,  where 
there  is  a  more  vigilant  police,  where  fewer  cogniz- 
able crimes  are  committed,  or  where  there  is  bet- 
ter security  for  person  and  property  than  in  Al- 
giers.* 

*As  a  proof  of  the  inexorable  rigour  of  the  Algerine  police,  I 
here  note  a  fact  within  my  knowledge.  A  man  well  known  to  me, 
proprietor  of  a  house  in  town,  and  a  pleasant  villa  in  my  neighbour- 
hood in  the  country,  in  short,  a  man  who,  in  point  of  relative  proper- 
ty, and  standing  in  society,  would  in  any  civilized  country  be  denom- 
inated a  gentleman,  was  surprised,  with  several  others,  in  a  house 
of  ill  fame  at  an  undue  hour  of  the  night,  and  taken,  with  his  com- 
panions to  the  quarters  of  the  Aga  de  Kul,  where  they  each  received 
seven  hundred  bastinadoes. 


SKETCHES    OP    ALGIERS.  53 

A  consequence  of  the  uninterrupted  prosperity  of 
Algiers,  for  so  long  a  course  of  years,  has  been  the 
accumulation  of  great  wealth  in  private  families, 
through  their  alliances  by  marriage  with  the  Turks. 
Thus,  though  all  the  power  is  exclusively  in  the 
hands  of  the  latter,  the  fortunes  which  they  ac- 
quire are  gradually  absorbed  into  the  native  fami- 
lies, where  they  generally  remain  unmolested, 
Nothing  can  be  more  insecure  than  the  fortune  of 
a  living  Turk  ;  but  that  of  a  native,  who  is  ineli- 
gible to  any  important  public  employment,  and 
consequently  passive  in  all  political  revolutions,  is 
as  well  protected  here  as  in  any  other  country. 
From  the  operation  of  these  causes,  Algiers  may 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  richest  cities  in  metallic 
wealth  in  the  world.  The  aged  widow  of  Achmet 
Pashaw,  with  whom  the  United  States  concluded 
their  first  peace  with  the  Regency,  lately  died  here, 
and  is  reputed  to  have  left  a  fortune  of  several  mil- 
lions of  dollars.  The  heirs  of  Mustapha  Pacha, 
his  successor,  from  whom  the  Consular  dwelling  of 
the  United  States  is  rented,  possess  real  estate  in 
the  city  and  immediate  neighbourhood,  worth  half 
a  million  of  dollars.  Both  of  these  chiefs  were 
publicly  executed. 

The  partial  civilization  of  this  part  of  Barbary 
after  the  fall  of  the  Roman  dominion  here,  probably 
dates  from  the  conquest  of  the  Arabs.  The  com- 
mercial resources  of  Africa  appear  to  have  created 
or  continued  several  cities  on  this  coast,  whose  ori- 


54  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

gin,  or  second  birth,  from  the  want  of  historical 
records,  would  now  he  sought  for  in  vain.  The 
city  of  Algiers  is  in  this  predicament,  and  can  lay 
no  claim  to  importance  above  any  of  the  obscure 
cities  of  Barbary,  before  its  conquest  by  the  Turks. 
Its  inhabitants  are  an  amalgamation  of  the  an- 
cient Mauritanians,  the  various  invaders  subse- 
quent to  the  above  periods,  the  emigrants  from 
Spain,  and  the  Turks  ;  and  are  now  generally 
denominated  Moors.  This  mixture  appears  to  be 
a  very  happy  one,  for  there  are  few  people  who 
surpass  them  in  beauty  of  configuration  ;  their 
features  are  remarkably  expressive,  and  their  com- 
plexions are  hardly  darker  than  those  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  south  of  Spain. 

Foreigners  seldom  have  an  opportunity  of  see- 
ing the  Moorish  women,  but  from  the  few  furtive 
occasions  that  have  fallen  to  my  lot,  the  reports  of 
foreign  ladies  resident  here,  and  the  extraordi- 
nary beauty  of  their  children,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  they  may  vie  with  any  other  in  point  of 
personal  charms.  Their  principal  characteristics  of 
beauty  are  elegant  forms,  large  dark  eyes,  long  eye- 
lashes, and  fine  teeth;  but  the  beauty  which  is 
most  prized  in  this  country,  is  that  of  excessive  cor- 
pulency. The  Moorish  women,  however,  as  they  ar- 
rive very  early  at  maturity,  being  often  married  at 
twelve  years  of  age,  fade  equally  soon  ;  I  am  in- 
formed that  their  finest  women  are  completely  in 
the  wane  of  their  beauty  at  twenty-five,  when  they 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  OO 

are  often  grand-mothers  :  this  may  be  in  a  great 
degree  owing  to  the  excessive  use,  or  rather  abuse 
of  the  steam  bath. 

From   remote   antiquity   the  inhabitants  of  this 
country  have  been   styled  inconstant  and  treach- 
erous ;    this   imputation  may    be  regarded    as  not 
unfounded    now,     but    they    are     far    from    being 
the  ferocious  barbarians  which  the  term  Algerines 
seems  by   common   consent  to  imply.     They   are 
a  people  of  very  insinuating   address,  and  in   the 
common  relations  of  life,  I  have  found  them  civil, 
courteous,    and    humane.     Neither    have    I    ever 
remarked  any  thing  in  the  character  of  these  peo- 
ple   that   discovers   extraordinary   bigotry,   fanati- 
cism, or  hatred  of  those  who  profess  a  different  re- 
ligion ;    they  profess  the  Mohammedan  creed,  and 
fulfil    with    the    utmost    scrupulousness    the    rites 
which  it   ordains,  but  without  affectation,  and   as 
far  as  I  have  remarked,  without  hostility  to  those 
who  adopt  different  measures  to  conciliate  the  Di- 
vine favour.     I  am  well  aware  that  this  character 
of  the  Algerines  is  contrary  to  what  has  been  here- 
tofore promulgated,  and  to  the  general  belief  of  the 
world  ;   but  my  impressions  of  them,  which  I  have 
received  from  a  long  residence  in   Barbary,  differ 
very  much   from    the  general  opinion,  particularly 
within  the  last  fifty  years.     A   respectable  writer 
within  this  period,  Lord  Sheffield,  has  alleged  Al- 
gerine  hostility   amongst  the   permanent  obstacles 
to  the  maritime  prosperity  of  the  United  States  ; 


56  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS, 

and  the  public  records  will  show,  that  on  several 
occasions  the  government  of  France  has  insinuated 
its  willingness  to  employ  its  influence  with  the 
Barbary  powers  in  favour  of  the  negotiations  of  the 
United  States  with  them. 

To  any  one  acquainted  with  Barbary,  these 
facts  excite  only  indignation,  derision,  or  con- 
tempt ;  for  it  is  well  known  that  the  great  maritime 
powers  of  Europe  have  always  had  recourse  in  Al- 
giers to  the  most  debasing  expedients  to  support 
what  they  term  their  influence  here,  and  that  their 
enmity  in  Algiers  is  as  little  to  be  dreaded,  as  their 
friendship  is  worth  having,  by  any  independent  peo- 
ple. But  sufficient  causes  may  be  assigned  for  a 
melioration  of  the  Algerine  character.  A  govern- 
ment established  by  strangers  on  the  right  of  con- 
quest, democratic  as  to  the  conquerors,  aristocratic 
as  to  the  natives  ;  extremely  rigorous  in  its  general 
character,  and  generally  impartial  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  justice,  must  have  had  ,a  powerful  tend- 
ency to  curb  the  licentious  propensities  of  the 
Numidian  character,  and  to  reduce  it  within  the 
bounds  of  moderation  and  propriety.  The  all  pow- 
erful mollifier  of  national  and  religious  animosities, 
commerce,  has  also  had  its  influence  on  them  ; 
regular  Moorish  commercial  houses  exist  here, 
which  have  an  established  credit  abroad,  that  they 
seek  to  maintain  by  reciprocating  the  kindness, 
hospitality,  and  confidence,  which  they  find  when 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  57 

they  travel,  as  they  frequently  do,  into  foreign 
countries. 

It  would  be  vain  to  speak  of  the  sciences  in  Al- 
giers, where  they  are  unknown  or  disregarded. 
There  is  not  even  any  pretension  made  to  a  know- 
ledge of  the  healing  art  beyond  that  of  charms  and 
amulets.  Several  of  their  Raises,  or  naval  cap- 
tains, have  learnt  from  foreigners  to  determine  the 
latitude  by  a  meridian  observation  of  the  sun,  and 
they  have  translated  into  Arabic  the  tables  neces- 
sary to  this  operation.  Their  usual  practice  when 
they  go  out  of  the  Straits  to  cruise  in  the  ocean,  is 
to  impress  from  on  board  of  the  first  Christian  ves- 
sel met  with,  some  person  capable  of  directing 
their  route  until  they  return  again  into  the  Medi- 
terranean. Their  whole  course  of  literature  is  con- 
fined to  the  Koran. 

Common  schools  are  however,  numerous  in 
Algiers,  where  boys  of  the  age  of  five  or  six 
years  and  upwards,  are  taught  to  read  and 
write.  From  the  invariable  character  of  the  cus- 
toms of  these  countries,  I  am  induced  to  believe 
that  their  practice  is  the  probable  origin  of  the 
Lancasterian  system  of  tuition.  Each  scholar  is 
provided  with  a  board,  upon  which  any  thing  may 
be  fairly  written  with  chalk,  and  easily  effaced  ;  a 
lesson  from  the  Koran  is  transcribed  in  fair  and 
legible  characters  upon  one  of  these  boards,  which 
is  then  copied  upon  all  the  others,  the  scholars  mu- 
tually teaching  each  other,  both  in  the  meaning, 
8 


58  SKETCHES    OP   ALGIERS. 

and  in  the  formation  of  the  letters  of  the  text.  These 
lessons  are  loudly  rehearsed  to  the  pedagogue,  who 
sits  upon  his  heels  in  a  corner  with  a  long  rod, 
through  the  terror  of  which  he  maintains  order  and 
due  attention  amongst  his  scholars.  Thus  reading 
and  writing  are  taught  simultaneously,  and  the 
beautiful  uniformity  that  characterizes  the  Arabic 
handwriting,  is  probably  owing  to  this  method  of 
tuition.  The  education  of  the  Algerine  youth  is 
completed  when,  having  learnt  to  read  and  write 
the  Koran,  he  is  duly  instructed  by  the  same  pre- 
ceptor in  the  forms  and  modes  of  prayer.  The 
expenses  of  this  course  of  education  are  very  tri- 
fling, and  I  am  informed  that  similar  schools  are 
kept  by  women  for  the  instruction  of  young  girls. 
I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  these  people 
stand  on  the  very  brink  of  civilization,  and  might 
be  easily  led  into  it  through  a  system  of  govern- 
ment less  repugnant  to  improvement  in  its  prin- 
ciples and  practice,  than  that  under  which  they 
live. 

The  dress  of  the  Algerines  consists  of  several 
vests  both  with  and  without  sleeves,  open  before, 
and  ornamented  with  buttons,  lace,  embroidery, 
&c.  ;  large  loose  breeches,  with  ample  plaits  de- 
scending to  the  calf  of  the  leg  ;  a  sash  wound  sev- 
eral times  round  the  body,  in  which  are  stuck  the 
yatagan  and  pistols  of  the  wearer,  and  the  folds  of 
which  serve  to  contain  his  watch,  purse,  &c.  ;  the 
turban,  and  slippers.  Stockings  are  seldom  worn. 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  59 

and  only  by  elderly  men  in  cold  weather.  The 
materials  of  this  dress  vary  according  to  the  seasons, 
and  the  rank,  and  pecuniary  means  of  the  wearer  ; 
amongst  the  Turks  and  wealthy  Colories,  they  are 
often  richly  embroidered,  or  laced  with  gold,  sil- 
ver, or  silk,  as  pride  or  fancy  dictates.  The  ma- 
terial, form,  folds,  and  colours  of  the  turban,  desig- 
nate the  rank  and  condition  of  the  wearer.  Over 
the  whole  of  this  dress  is  worn  the  bournousse, 
either  wrapped  round  the  body,  or  folded  on  one 
shoulder.  The  bournousse  is  an  ample  cloak,  in 
form  a  large  section  of  a  circle,  with  a  hood  in  the 
centre,  which,  when  required,  is  brought  up  over 
the  turban,  and  shelters  the  wearer  from  the 
weather.  The  bournousse  is  wove  throughout 
without  any  seam,  and  is  a  mantle  of  great  sim- 
plicity and  elegance  ;  it  is  manufactured  of  the  best 
materials,  usually  of  fine  white  wool,  and  often 
with  a  mixture  of  silk,  with  a  garniture  of  fringes 
and  tassels  of  the  same.  Another  species  of  this 
mantle,  intended  for  cold  weather,  and  for  travel- 
ling, is  of  a  much  firmer  texture,  impervious  to  the 
rain,  and  of  a  dark  brown  colour. 

The  bournousse  is,  according  to  Doctor  Shaw, 
without  the  hood,  the  pallium  of  the  ancient  Ro- 
mans, and  witli  it,  the  bardocucullus  of  the  Gauls. 
All  the  inhabitants  of  Algiers  who  can  afford  it, 
wear  linen,  but  those  of  the  country  are  very  gen- 
erally strangers  to  this  luxury  ;  the  Algerine  shirt 
is  short,  with  wide  sleeves,  and  gathered  at  the 


00  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

wrists.  The  general  dress  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  interior  country,  consists  of  the  hyke  and  a 
slight  pair  of  drawers,  with  the  turban  or  without, 
according  to  circumstances  ;  but  in  default  thereof, 
is  worn  a  red  woollen  scull-cap.  For  the  manufac- 
ture of  these  caps  Tunis  is  famous,  but  they  are  imi- 
tated in  Europe  and  sold  here  in  great  quantities. 
The  hyke  has  been  the  national  garment  of  Lybia, 
from  time  immemorial ;  it  is  manufactured  of  wool, 
six  yards  in  length  and  two  in  breadth.  It  is  perhaps 
the  toga  of  the  ancient  Romans ;  I  have  seen  a 
statue  of  the  emperor  Augustus,  as  chief  pontiff, 
either  at  Rome  or  in  the  royal  Studio  at  Naples, 
where  he  was  enveloped  in  a  robe  that  bore  an  exact 
resemblance  to  the  hyke,  as  worn  here  by  the  Arabs. 
This  manner  of  wearing  the  hyke,  also  resem- 
bles the  mode  of  wearing  the  common  blanket  by 
the  Indians  on  our  frontiers  ;  and  it  serves  for  the 
same  purposes,  that  is,  a  mantle  by  day,  and  bed 
covering  by  night.  It  must  however  be  confessed, 
that  the  hyke  is  a  very  inconvenient  garment,  as  it 
must  be  continually  falling  from  its  position,  and  in 
this  respect  much  more  so,  from  its  ample  dimen- 
sions, than  the  blanket  of  our  Indians;  for  this  rea- 
son, the  hyke  is  seldom  made  use  of  as  an  habili- 
ment in  the  city  of  Algiers,  where  the  more  conve- 
nient dress,  above  described,  is  universally  preferred. 
I  think  I  have  seen  in  the  course  of  my  reading, 
that  a  motive  with  the  gentleman  of  ancient  Rome 
for  retiring  into  the  country  was  the  faculty  of  throw- 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  61 

ing  by,  while  there,  the  inconvenient  toga  ;  which, 
if  it  resembled  the  hyke,  appears  to  be  quite  nat- 
ural. The  hyke  is  manufactured  of  all  degrees  of 
fineness ;  the  superior  kinds  are  beautiful,  whether 
of  their  natural  snow-white  wool,  or  of  fine  scarlet ; 
and  they  are  preferable,  from  their  lightness  and 
warmth,  to  any  thing  else  as  bed  covering. 

The  dress  of  the  Moorish  women,  as  far  as  we 
can  be  acquainted  with  it,  consists  of  a  slight 
chemise,  which,  with  ladies  of  condition,  is  of  the 
finest  materials  ;  a  pair  of  loose  pantaloons  gathered 
at  the  ankles  ;  a  tunic  of  brocade,  or  richly  em- 
broidered stufif,  laced  behind ;  and  slippers,  without 
stockings.  They  pay  the  greatest  attention  to 
their  hair,  which  is  considered  a  great  beauty  when 
it  falls  to  their  feet.  They  are  not  satisfied  with 
the  natural  beauty  of  their  eyelashes,  but  paint 
them  black,  and  colour  the  tips  of  their  fingers, 
palms  of  their  hands,  and  soles  of  their  feet  with 
henna.  They  wear  massy  rings  of  gold  in  their 
ears,  and  on  their  wrists  and  ankles,  and  a  profusion 
of  the  same  on  their  fingers  ;  the  material  of  these 
ornaments  descends,  according  to  condition,  to  sil- 
ver, and  even  to  copper.  The  national  head-dress 
is  a  hollow  machine,  of  open  filigree  work  of 
gold  or  silver,  according  to  rank  and  wealth,  called 
a  Sarmah,  in  form  a  cone  from  top  to  bottom, 
and  a  little  truncated,  over  which  is  thrown  a  trans- 
parent veil  more  or  less  richly  embroidered. 


«£  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

A  young  unmarried  girl,  in  lieu  of  this  ornament, 
wears  the  common  red  scull-cap,  thickly  sheathed 
with  sequins,  and  is  known  as  such  when  she  ap- 
pears abroad,  by  her  party-coloured  pantaloons,  a 
custom  which  appears  to  be  of  the  remotest  an- 
tiquity :  "  And  she  had  a  garment  of  divers  colours 
upon  her ;  for  with  such  robes  were  the  king's 
daughters  that  were  virgins  apparelled."  Over  the 
whole  of  this  dress  is  worn  the  bournousse  or 
hyke,  as  circumstances  may  require ;  and  when 
they  go  abroad,  a  white  veil  that  falls  from  the  top 
of  the  head  to  the  heels  :  thus  they  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  phantoms  gliding  through  the  dark 
streets  of  the  city.  Ladies  of  condition  seldom  or 
never  walk  abroad.  Though  these  secluded  dames 
bloom  as  it  were  in  the  desert,  from  the  complaints 
of  their  husbands  respecting  their  extravagance  in 
dress,  it  may  be  inferred  that  they  exercise  no  in- 
considerable portion  of  influence  in  society,  and 
are  perhaps  silently  preparing  the  public  mind  for  a 
restoration  of  the  rights,  of  which  barbarism  and 
ignorance  have  defrauded  them. 

There  are  few  Algerines  who  avail  themselves 
of  the  Mohammedan  law  which  allows  a  plurality 
of  wives  ;  they  are  generally  contented  with  one, 
to  whom  however  is  attached  a  number  of  black 
female  slaves,  according  to  the  wealth  and  dignity 
of  the  parties.  Marriages  in  general  in  Algiers 
are  contracted  much  as  elsewhere  in  Mohammedan 
countries  ;  but  the  nature  of  their  government,  and 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  63 

the  consequent  condition  of  the  superior  classes, 
have  had  a  silent  and  sure  effect  in  favour  of  the 
sex.  It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  a  rich 
heiress,  and  there  are  always  many  in  Algiers, 
would  be  delivered  up  as  a  slave  to  the  caprice  of 
the  barbarian  who  espouses  her ;  conditions  are 
therefore  made  in  the  marriage  contract,  which 
place  her  on  a  certain  equality  with  her  husband, 
or  at  least  protect  her  from  arbitrary  ill  treatment. 
It  would  be  injurious  to  the  understandings  of  the 
ladies  to  suppose  that  they  have  not  improved  these 
advantages  ;  their  effects  have  been  gradually  ex- 
tended, and  the  consequence  has  been  that  the 
Moorish  women  are  less  slaves  to  their  husbands, 
than  to  custom  and  long  received  notions  of  deco- 
rum and  propriety. 

Marriages  are  planned  and  contracted  through 
the  agency  of  the  mothers  and  female  relations  of 
the  parties,  the  women  of  Algiers  having  a  free  in- 
tercourse with  each  other,  either  at  their  own 
houses  or  at  the  public  baths,  which  are  much  fre- 
quented by  them,  and  in  the  afternoon  they  are  sa- 
cred to  their  use.  Marriages  amongst  the  superior 
classes  are  frequently  celebrated  by  the  women 
with  much  eclat.  On  these  occasions,  the  female 
relations  and  friends  of  the  parties  assemble  to- 
gether and  enjoy  themselves  during  several  days, 
to  the  utter  discomfiture  of  the  men,  who  are  then 
either  driven  out  of  the  house,  or  to  hide  themselves 
in  some  corner  where  they  can  neither  see  nor 
be  seen  by  the  joyous  band. 


64  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

Bread,  mutton,  poultry,  fish,  milk,  butter,  cheese, 
oil,  olives,  and  fruits,  with  the  couscousou,  which 
is  a  granulated  paste  made  of  wheat  of  the  nature 
of  maccaroni,  generally  constitute  the  food  of  the 
people  of  Barbary  ;  the  latter  may  be  regarded  as 
their  national  dish,  equivalent  to  the  maccaroni  of 
Italy  and  the  rice  of  India.  The  couscousou  is  cook- 
ed in  a  cullender  generally  of  wood,  over  the  steam 
of  broth,  and  when  skilfully  prepared  with  bard 
eggs,  vegetables,  sweet  herbs,  spices,  &c.  is  a  sa- 
vory and  nutritious  food.  The  poorer  classes,  who 
cannot  always  afford  meat,  prepare  their  couscou- 
sou with  butter  or  oil ;  the  common  labourers  are 
satisfied  with  bread  only,  with  a  little  oil  if  they 
can  procure  it.  The  Algerines  consume  very  little 
beef;  they  rarely  slaughter  a  cow,  and  never  a  calf. 
In  the  season  of  the  best  pasturage  when  the  cat- 
tle are  in  good  condition,  it  is  a  practice  with  such 
families  as  can  afford  it,  to  slaughter  a  bullock  or 
two,  the  flesh  of  which  is  jerked  and  dried,  then 
seethed  in  oil,  packed  away  in  jars,  and  cover- 
ed with  oil  or  melted  butter,  for  future  use.  Cof- 
fee is  the  great  luxury  of  these  temperate  people, 
and  water  their  only  beverage. 

The  amusements  of  a  people  without  literature, 
and  without  arts,  must  of  necessity  be  very  limit- 
ed. As  to  the  men,  the  coffee-houses,  barbers' 
shops,  the  pursuit  of  some  species  of  trade,  or  the 
culture  of  their  gardens,  for  all  who  can  afford  it 
endeavour  to  possess  a  country  retreat  of  some  sort 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  G5 

or  other,  break  in  upon  and  vary  a  little  the  dull 
monotony  of  their  insignificant  existence.  The 
only  relaxation  of  the  women  from  their  domestic 
cares,  are  their  assemblies  at  the  public  baths, 
and  at  each  other's  houses  on  occasions  of  mar- 
riages, births,  circumcisions,  &c.  A  retreat  into 
the  country  is  of  no  other  resource  to  them  than 
the  enjoyment  of  a  purer  air,  for  there,  as  in  town, 
custom  confines  them  within  the  walls  of  their 
dwellings.  The  Moors  are  supposed  to  possess  an 
original  genius  for  music ;  this  is  a  subject  of 
which  I  am  no  judge,  I  can  only  remark  that  mu- 
sic is  not  cultivated  by  them  as  a  science,  though 
they  play  upon  several  instruments,  of  which  they 
are  probably  the  inventors. 

The  Jews,  of  whom  there  are  about  five  thousand 
in  this  city,  have  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion 
secured  ;  they  are  governed  by  their  own  laws  in 
civil  cases,  administered  by  a  chief  of  their  own 
nation,  who  is  appointed  by  the  Bashaw  ;  as  Al- 
gerine  subjects  they  may  circulate  freely,  establish 
themselves  where  they  please,  and  exercise  any 
lawful  calling  throughout  the  kingdom  ;  and  they 
cannot  be  reduced  to  slavery.  They  pay  a  capita- 
tion tax,  and  double  duties  on  every  species  of  mer- 
chandise imported  from  abroad  ;  as  elsewhere,  they 
practise  trade  in  all  its  branches,  and  are  here  the 
only  brokers,  and  dealers  in  money  and  exchanges ; 
there  are  many  gold  and  silver  smiths  amongst 
9 


(30  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

them,  and  they  are  the  only  artificers  employed  in 
the  mint. 

Independent  of  the  legal  disabilities  of  the  Jews, 
they  are  in  Algiers  a  most  oppressed  people  ;  they 
are  not  permitted  to  resist  any  personal  violence  of 
whatever  nature,  from  a  Mussulman ;  they  are  com- 
pelled to  wear  clothing  of  a  black  or  dark  colour ; 
they  cannot  ride  on  horseback,  or  wear  arms  of  any 
sort,  not  even  a  cane  ;  they  are  permitted  only  on 
Saturdays  and  Wednesdays  to  pass  out  of  the  gates 
of  the  city  without  permission  ;  and  on  any  un- 
expected call  for  hard  labour,  the  Jews  are  turned 
out  to  execute  it.  In  the  summer  of  1815,  this 
country  was  visited  by  incredible  swarms  of  lo- 
custs, which  destroyed  every  green  thing  before 
them ;  when  several  hundred  Jews  were  ordered 
out  to  protect  the  Bashaw's  gardens,  where  they 
were  obliged  to  watch  and  toil  day  and  night,  as 
long  as  these  insects  continued  to  infest  the  coun- 
try. 

On  several  occasions  of  sedition  amongst  the 
Janissaries,  the  Jews  have  been  indiscriminately 
plundered,  and  they  live  in  the  perpetual  fear  of  a 
renewal  of  such  scenes ;  they  are  pelted  in  the 
streets  even  by  children,  and  in  short,  the  whole 
course  of  their  existence  here,  is  a  state  of  the  most 
abject  oppression  and  contumely.  The  children  of 
Jacob  bear  these  indignities  with  wonderful  pa- 
tience ;  they  learn  submission  from  infancy,  and 
practise  it  throughout  their  lives,  without  ever  dar- 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS?  07 

ing  to  murmur  at  their  hard  lot.  Notwithstanding 
these  discouraging  circumstances  in  their  condi- 
tion, the  Jews,  who  through  their  correspondence 
with  foreign  countries  are  the  only  class  of  Alge- 
rine  society  possessing  any  accurate  knowledge  of 
external  affairs,  meddle  with  all  sorts  of  intrigue, 
even  at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  which  are  not  unfre- 
quently  forfeited  in  consequence.  The  post  of  chief 
of  the  Jews  is  procured  and  held  through  bribery 
and  intrigue,  and  is  exercised  with  a  tyranny  and 
oppression  corresponding  to  the  tenure  by  which 
it  is  retained.  During  the  times  of  prosperity  of 
the  Regency,  several  Jewish  houses  of  trade  rose 
here  to  great  opulence,  but  of  late  years,  through 
the  intolerable  oppression  under  which  they  live, 
many  wealthy  individuals  have  been  ruined,  others 
have  found  means  to  emigrate,  and  the  Moors,  who 
have  a  singular  aptness  for  trade,  are  daily  sup- 
planting them  in  the  different  branches  of  com- 
merce practicable  in  this  country ;  so  that  they  ap- 
pear now  to  be  on  a  rapid  decline  even  as  to  their 
numbers.  It  appears  to  me  that  the  JewTs  at  this 
day  in  Algiers,  constitute  one  of  the  least  fortunate 
remnants  of  Israel  existing. 

In  respect  of  manners,  habits,  and  modes  of  liv- 
ing, with  the  above  exceptions,  the  Jews  in  Algiers 
differ  so  little  from  the  other  corresponding  classes 
of  society  that  they  are  not  worth  describing. 
The  Jews  of  Algiers  are  a  fine  robust  race,  \\itli 
good  complexions,  but  the  effects  of  the  abject  state 


68  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

in  which  they  are  born  and  live,  are  imprinted  on 
their  countenances  ;  nothing  is  more  rare  than  to 
discover  a  distinguished  trait  in  the  physiognomy  of 
an  Algerine  Jew,  whether  male  or  female.  There 
is  a  very  affecting  practice  here  with  these  people, 
which  cannot  be  contemplated  without  feelings  of 
respect,  and  even  of  tenderness,  for  this  miraculous 
race.  Many  aged  and  infirm  Jews,  sensible  that 
all  their  temporal  concerns  are  drawing  to  a  close, 
die  as  it  were  a  civil  death,  investing  their  heirs 
with  all  their  wrorldly  substance,  with  the  reserve 
of  only  the  small  pittance  necessary  to  support  the 
lingering  remnant  of  their  days  in  Jerusalem,  where 
they  go  to  die.  In  the  year  1816,  I  witnessed  the 
embarkation  of  a  number  of  ancient  Hebrews,  on 
this  last  earthly  pilgrimage,  on  board  of  a  vessel 
chartered  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  transporting 
them  to  the  coast  of  Syria,  The  number  of  Jews 
in  the  kingdom  of  Algiers  is  computed  at  about 
thirty  thousand. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  population  of  the 
city  of  Algiers  consists  of  strangers  ;  that  is,  of 
people  belonging  to  the  different  African  tribes,  who" 
enjoy  a  limited  or  entire  independence  of  this  gov- 
ernment, and  are  protected  in  their  rights  here,  by 
stipulated  or  implied  compacts.  Such  are  the 
Mozabis,  the  Biscaries,  the  Arabs,  and  the  Kabyles, 
of  whom  mention  will  be  made  in  a  succeeding 
chapter.  The  two  first  have  resident  agents  here, 
Amins,  a  species  of  Consuls,  who  are  recognised 


SKETCHES     OF   ALGIERS.  69 

by  the  government,  and  have  a  jurisdiction  over 
their  countrymen  similar  to  that  of  the  chief  of  the 
Jews.  The  negroes  form  a  small  portion  of  the 
population  ;  they  are  originally  slaves,  obtained 
through  trade  with  the  interior,  and  with  Tripoli ; 
but  they  easily  obtain  their  emancipation,  on  em- 
bracing Islam  ism,  as  they  all  do.  Domestic  slav- 
ery in  these  countries  has  ever  been  of  the  mildest 
character,  implying  rather  the  reciprocal  rights  of 
service  and  of  protection,  than  of  slavery.  From 
the  small  number  of  mulattoes  in  the  Algerine 
population,  it  would  appear  that  a  prejudice  exists 
against  the  colour  here,  as  in  the  United  States,  and 
probably  from  the  same  cause,  namely,  its  slavish 
origin. 

The  mechanic  arts  in  Algiers  are  organized  into 
corporations,  as  in  several  of  the  old  states  of 
Europe,  and  each  is  subjected  to  the  jurisdiction  of 
a  chief  Amin,  whose  authority  over  the  craft  is 
very  extensive  and  arbitrary.  In  bricklaying  and 
masonry,  they  discover  much  intelligence,  and  may 
justly  lay  claim  to  a  certain  degree  of  practical 
perfection.*  They  also  execute  embroidery,  for 

*The  Moorish  masons  prepare  a  species  of  chenam,  for  plastering- 
the  interior  of  cisterns,  which  appears  to  me  better  for  this  purpose 
than  any  that  I  have  seen  elsewhere.  It  is  composed  of  equal  parts 
of  pulverized  bricks,  lime,  and  w,ood  ashes,  carefully  sifted  through  a 
fine  sieve,  and  brought  to  a  proper  consistence  with  oil.  ,  This  plas- 
ter hardens  immediately,  either  in  the  air  or  underwater,  and  never 
cracks.  Olive  oil  only  is  used  here,  but  it  mny  be  that  fish  oil  would 
answer  the  same  purpose. 


70  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

which  there  is  a  great  demand,  with  much  taste  and 
neatness ;  but  as  carpenters,  coopers,  blacksmiths, 
shoemakers,  &c.,  they  are  little  advanced  beyond 
the  first  rudiments.  The  superior  arts  of  watch- 
makers and  jewellers,  are  practised  here  by  for- 
eigners alone. 

The  manufactures  of  Algiers  consist  principally 
of  silk,  wool,  and  leather  ;  of  the  raw  material  of 
the  former,  about  eighty  thousand  dollars  worth  is 
annually  imported,  principally  from  the  Lerant, 
which  is  manufactured  here  into  velvets,  shawls, 
handkerchiefs,  sashes,  and  stuffs  for  turbans,  orna- 
mented with  gold  tissue  and  fringe,  and  a  few  oth- 
er articles  for  horrie  consumption,  but  none  for  ex- 
portation. These  articles  are  probably  dearer  in 
price,  than  might  be  obtained  in  France  and  Ita- 
ly, but  in  the  beauty  and  durability  of  their  col- 
ours, and  in  solidity,  they  are  not  surpassed  by  any 
European  manufacture.  Large  quantities  of  wool 
are  manufactured  into  hykes,  bournousses,  shawls, 
and  carpets,  all  of  which  are  consumed  in  the 
country.  The  manufacture  of  these  articles  is 
common  to  every  tent  in  the  kingdom,  where  it  is 
conducted  on  the  primitive  principles  of  weaving 
for  family  use  ;  but  in  all  the  towns  and  principal 
villages,  looms  are  established,  where  these  articles 
are  made  for  sale.*  A  great  variety  of  mats,  some 

*  The  manufacture  of  coarse  linen  cloth  is  also  common  in  the  in- 
terior of  Algiers.  It  is  sold  very  cheap,  and  in  point  of  quality  may 
be  compared  with  the  German  manufacture  known  in  the  markets 
of  the  United  States  by  the  name  of  Osnaburghs. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  71 

of  which  are  of  superior  beauty  and  excellence, 
forming  a  very  neat  carpeting  for  floors,  as  also 
baskets  of  all  sorts  for  domestic  purposes,  are  man- 
ufactured in  this  country.  The  tanning  and  dress- 
ing of  leather  appears  to  be  perfectly  well  un- 
derstood here.  Their  skins  dressed  and  coloured 
in  the  Morocco  style,  appear  to  approach  very  near 
to  the  perfection  of  the  art. 

The  houses  in  Algiers  are  all  built  upon  precise- 
ly the  same  plan ;  a  description  of  that  which  I 
inhabit,  will  therefore  give  an  accurate  idea  of  the 
whole,  as  they  differ  only  in  size,  and  the  value  of 
the  materials  of  which  they  are  constructed.  This 
house  is  a  square  of  about  sixty-four  feet,  with  a 
depth,  or  elevation,  of  forty-two  feet,  one  third  of 
which  is  occupied  by  the  basement  story,  con- 
sisting of  a  range  of  magazines,  of  cisterns,  of 
stables,  and  of  the  solid  arches  necessary  to  sup- 
port the  superstructure.  The  remaining  twenty- 
eight  feet  of  elevation  are  divided  into  two  habita- 
ble stories,  surrounding  an  open  court  paved  with 
marble,  thirty  feet  square,  around  which  is  a  cov- 
ered gallery  six  feet  wide,  taken  from  the  above 
thirty  feet,  and  supported  upon  each  floor  by  twelve 
very  elegant  columns  of  Italian  marble,  of  the 
Ionic  order,  which  serve  on  each  as  abutments  to 
twelve  elliptical  arches,  and  thus  form  round  the 
court  a  double  colonnade  of  great  elegance  and 
beauty.  The  roof  is  flat,  and  terraced,  with  a  para- 
pet of  about  four  and  a  half  feet  high  ;  and  on  the 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

side  fronting  the  sea,  there  is  a  third  covered  gal- 
lery, where  there  are  several  small  apartments. 

From  the  width  of  the  court,  the  apartments  of 
this  mansion  which  front  upon  its  four  sides,  are 
narrow  and  long  beyond  all  proportion  :  they  are 
well  enough  calculated  for  this  climate,  but  would 
be  found  very  inconvenient  in  a  colder  country. 
Two  sides  of  this  house  front  the  sea,  where  there 
are  external  windows,  but  generally  the  apart- 
ments in  the  houses  of  Algiers  are  lighted  only 
from  the  court,  external  windows  not  being  per- 
mitted when  they  overlook  other  houses.  All 
windows,  both  within  and  without  are  guarded  by 
strong  iron  grates,  which  give  to  these  dwellings  the 
gloomy  air  of  prisons.  In  houses  where  good  and 
capacious  cisterns  are  constructed,  water  enough 
for  the  ordinary  use  of  a  family  is  obtained  by  the 
terraces  during  the  season  of  rain.  This  house, 
like  most  others  of  its  rank  in  Algiers,  has  a  sec- 
ond smaller  one,  dependant  upon  it,  within  its  walls, 
but  in  other  respects,  completely  separate  ;  it  may 
be  assigned  exclusively  to  the  women,  to  a  depend- 
ant family,  or  a  married  son  :  in  the  general  econ- 
omy here,  it  affords  convenient  space  for  kitchen, 
offices,  baths,  &c. 

This  house  is  entered  by  only  one  external  door, 
which  is  solid  and  strong  as  that  of  a  fortress,  so 
that  the  family  inhabiting  it,  have  every  thing 
within  themselves,  without  fear  of  intrusion.  All 
the  floors  are  paved  with  marble,  or  with  Dutch 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  73 

painted  tiles,  and  the  walls  of  the  apartments  are 
covered,  to  the  height  of  about  four  feet,  with  the 
same  species  of  tiles  of  a  finer  quality. 

In  all  the  houses  of  Algiers,  there  is  contrived  a 
small  apartment  at  the  outer  door,  and  without  the 
area  of  the  house,  where  the  host  receives  visits, 
and  transacts  business  ;  as,  on  account  of  the  wo- 
men, no  stranger  is  ever  received  within  his  domi- 
cil,  except  on  extraordinary  occasions.  This 
apartment  is  called  the  Skiffa,  and  in  this  house  is 
spacious  and  elegant.  The  exterior  of  all  the  hous- 
es in  Algiers  is  kept  neatly  whitewashed,  which, 
at  a  distance,  gives  a  very  brilliant  appearance  to 
the  city.  I  have  been  thus  particular  in  describ- 
ing the  house  I  inhabit,  as  well  to  give  the  reader 
an  idea  of  Algerine  architecture,  as  also  a  notion 
of  the  value  of  real  estate  here  :  this  house  is  sup- 
posed to  have  cost  about  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  and  I  occupy  it  at  an  annual  rent  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  In  past  times  of  pros- 
perity, the  Algerines  indulged  very  much  in  the 
luxury  of  building,  and  there  are  in  consequence 
many  houses  in  the  city  that  are  equal  or  superior 
to  mine.  It  is  forbidden  to  all  Mussulmans,  on 
very  severe  penalties,  to  visit  the  terraces  of  their 
houses  during  daylight,  which  are  held  sacred  to 
the  women  ;  but  as  this  prohibition  is  not  extended 
to  Christians,  we  sometimes,  on  fine  evenings,  ob- 
tain a  sight  of  those  fair  recluses,  who,  availing 
10 


74  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

themselves  of  this  scanty  privilege,  take  the  air  on 
the  flat-terraced  roofs  of  their  houses. 

The  streets  of  Algiers,  as  has  been  before  re- 
marked, are  mere  alleys,  in  most  of  which,  two 
persons  meeting  on  horseback,  would  find  it  diffi- 
cult to  pass  each  other  without  a  shock  ;  but  they 
are  paved,  and  generally  kept  clean.  There  is 
one,  however,  that  may  be  termed  the  main  street, 
running  in  a  tortuous  course  of  something  more  than 
half  a  mile,  from  the  Bab  el  Wed,  or  north  gate,  to 
the  Bab  Azon,  or  south  gate  of  the  city,  where  two 
carts  might  with  care  pass  each  other  in  safety. 

In  this  street  are  the  principal  coffee-houses,  and 
oarbers'  shops,  which  are  here  as  elsewhere,  ora- 
cles of  political  news.  In  these  places  the  idle 
lounge  away  their  tedious  hours,  sip  coffee,  discuss 
the  news,  and  play  at  chess  or  draughts.  In  this 
street  are  also  the  only  shops  of  any  note  in  Al- 
giers, which,  however,  are  mere  stalls,  where  the 
most  common  articles  are  exposed  for  sale  ;  the 
shopkeeper  gravely  sitting  coiled  away  upon  his 
hams,  with  his  whole  stock  in  trade  within  reach 
Avithout  his  rising. 

o 

The  city  of  Algiers  is  divided  into  separate  quar- 
ters, which  are  closed  by  gates  immediately  after 
evening  prayers,  and  guarded  by  blind  Biscaries, 
who  open  them  when  required  to  such  persons  as 
have  occasion  to  pass  at  night,  and  conform  them- 
selves to  the  regulations  of  the  police  ;  which  re- 
quire that  a  Mussulman  or  Christian,  passing  in  the 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS.  75 

streets  after  dark,  shall  bear  with  him  a  lighted  lan- 
tern, and  that  a  Jew,  against  whom  there  are  always, 
some  invidious  distinctions  made,  shall  bear  with 
him  a  light  without  a  lantern.  Any  persons  not  con- 
forming to  these  rules,  are  liable  to  be  arrested  and 
called  on  to  account  for  their  delinquency. 

The  external  gates  of  the  city  are  shut  at  sun- 
set, and  opened  at  sunrise.  The  Algerines  are 
a  superstitious  people,  believing  in  sorcery,  and  all 
sorts  of  supernatural  wonders  and  predictions  ;  and 
they  have  a  warning  from  some  such  source,  that 
their  city  is  to  be  attacked  and  taken  on  a  Friday, 
by  Christians,  clothed  in  scarlet  uniforms,  for  which 
cogent  reason  they  shut  the  city  gates  on  that  day, 
from  eleven  in  the  morning  till  one  in  the  afternoon. 

The  public  buildings  of  Algiers  consist  of  nine 
large  mosques,  besides  a  great  number  of  minor 
places  of  worship  ;  five  caserias  or  barracks  for  the 
Turkish  soldiery  ;  three  colleges  ;  five  bagnios, 
where  the  Christian  slaves  were  formerly  confined  ; 
several  open  bazars,  or  market-places  ;  and  the  old 
palace  of  the  Deys  of  Algiers. 

As  the  mosques  cannot  be  visited,  I  can  give  no 
account  of  them ;  but  all  the  other  edifices  differ  on- 
ly in  size  and  decorations  from  the  house  I  inhabit, 
which  is  described  above.  The  Casauba,  or  Cita- 
del, which  is  the  actual  residence  of  the  Deys  of 
Algiers,  is  an  immense  fortified  enceinte,  occupying 
all  the  superior  part  of  the  city,  and  about  one  tenth 
of  its  superficies  ;  it  contains  a  grand  mosque,  seve- 


76  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

ral  palaces,  and  every  necessary  accommodation  for 
a  numerous  garrison.  The  colleges  above  men- 
tioned are  pious  foundations  for  educating  teachers 
of  the  true  faith,  that  is,  for  teaching  them  to  read 
and  write,  and  expound  the  Koran  :  one  of  these  is 
exclusively  for  the  instruction  of  the  Kabyles. 
The  public  baths  of  Algiers  deserve  to  be  mentioned, 
but  as  they  are  exactly  the  same  in  every  respect 
as  those  of  Constantinople,  Grand  Cairo,  and  other 
Levantine  cities,  so  particularly  described  by  Lady 
Montague,  Savary,  and  other  travellers,  a  particu- 
lar description  of  them  here  would  appear  tedious ; 
it  seems  therefore  sufficient  to  remark  that  they  are 
numerous,  well  kept,  and  much  frequented. 

Though  Christian  slavery  has  ceased  in  Algiers; 
since  1816,  in  treating  of  this  country,  so  terrible 
in  this  respect  in  times  past,  it  seems  proper  to  no- 
tice the  treatment  of  the  unfortunate  Christians, 
who,  before  that  epoch,  fell  into  captivity  here.  It 
is  about  fifty  years  since  private  cruising  was  sup- 
pressed by  the  Algerine  government,  after  which  time 
the  captives  taken  were  slaves  only  to  the  Regency, 
who  always  afforded  them  sufficient  and  prompt 
protection  from  injury  or  insult  by  the  natives  ;  and 
it  is  no  more  than  justice  to  say,  that  their  condi- 
tion here  was  not  generally  worse  than  that  of 
prisoners  of  war  in  many  civilized,  Christian 
countries. 

Female  captives  were  always  treated  with  the 
respect  due  to  their  sex  ;  the  labour  required  of  the 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

men  was  not  excessive  ;  those  who  could  find  se- 
curity that  they  would  not  escape,  were  allowed 
to  go  at  large  on  the  payment  of  about  seventy- 
five  cents  per  month ;  there  were  a  number  of  lu- 
crative offices  that  were  always  occupied  by  slaves, 
in  which  many  enriched  themselves ;  those  who 
were  employed  in  the  palace,  or  attached  to  the 
great  officers  of  state,  were  treated  with  the  great- 
est mildness  ;  and  generally  all  who  were  indus- 
triously disposed  easily  found  the  means  of  profiting 
by  it.  In  short,  there  were  slaves  who  left  Algiers 
with  regret,  and  it  is  believed  that  in  the  aggregate, 
they  carried  away  a  vast  sum  of  money  at  thek 
embarkation.  That  they  suffered  occasional  cru- 
elty and  hardship  from  the  caprice  or  brutality 
of  their  keepers  and  overseers,  cannot  be  doubted, 
for  such  are  inseparable  from  the  unprotected  situ- 
ation of  captives  of  any  description. 

The  horrors  of  the  slave-market,  of  which  so 
much  has  been  said,  could  hardly  have  any  founda- 
tion in  fact,  since  the  suppression  of  private  cruis- 
ing in  Algiers  ;  for,  as  the  slaves  of  the  government 
were  very  rarely  alienated,  and  then  ceded  only  as 
special  favours,  nothing  could  be  more  rare  than 
the  exposure  at  public  sale  of  a  Christian  slave. 
It  is  true  that  through  these  cessions  to  favourites, 
they  were  sometimes  so  exposed,  and  that  they 
were  even  sometimes  ceded  to  and  resold  by  Jews  ; 
but  I  remark  again  that  these  cases  must  have  been 
of  rare  occurrence.  The  greatest  misfortune  of  the 


78  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

Christian  slaves  in  Algiers  was,  the  cold,  apathetic 
indifference  to  their  situation,  of  their  respective 
governments,  which  deprived  them  of  even  the 
hope  of  redemption.  No  credit  is  due  to  the 
Regency  for  having  suppressed  private  cruising,  for 
it  must  have  been  owing  entirely  to  the  monopo- 
lizing, avaricious  spirit  which  characterizes  them, 
and  influences  all  their  actions. 

A  system  of  monopoly,  and  prohibition  of  ex- 
portation of  the  produce  of  this  country,  has  beg- 
gared the  commerce,  and  nearly  ruined  the  agri- 
culture of  the  kingdom.  The  coral  fishery  on  the 
eastern  coast,  with  the  export  trade  of  Bona,  in 
wool,  hides,  wax,  and  about  sixteen  thousand 
measures  of  wheat,  is  farmed  to  France  for  the 
sum  of  thirty  thousand  dollars  annually.  The  gen- 
eral export  trade  of  Oran  is  ceded  to  the  Bey  of 
that  province  for  the  annual  sum  of  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  The  articles  of  hides,  wax,  and  wool, 
constitute  a  public  monopoly,  which  is  usually  sold 
annually  to  the  highest  bidder.  Salt  is  also  a  pub- 
lic monopoly.  The  exportation  of  oil  and  dressed 
skins  is  positively  prohibited,  except  to  the  territo- 
ries of  the  Ottoman  empire  ;  and  grain,  and  live 
stock  of  all  kinds,  can  be  exported  by  special  per- 
mission only.  The  consequence  of  these  absurd 
regulations  is,  that  of  oil  and  grain,  in  the  most 
fruitful  country  in  the  world,  there  is  never  a  sur- 
plus, and  often  a  deficiency  for  the  consumption  of 
its  population.  In  the  year  1819,  such  was  the 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  79 

scarcity  of  grain  in  this  kingdom,  that  above  fifty 
thousand  bushels  of  wheat  were  imported  from 
abroad,  for  the  consumption  of  this  city  alone. 

The  duties  on  the  importation  of  foreign  mer- 
chandize are  fixed  by  a  tariff  of  five  per  cent,  ad 
valorem,  and  double  this  amount  when  imported 
by  Jews  or  foreigners,  who  have  no  treaties  with 
the  Regency.  The  following  statement  of  the 
amounts  of  the  imports  and  exports  of  this  kingdom, 
during  the  year  1822,  is  made  up  from  authentic 
documents^and  gives  a  fair  view  of  its  trade. 

IMPORTS  FOR  1822. 

From  Great  Britain,  India  and  British  manufactures,  $500,000 
From  Leghorn,  silks,  brocades,  sugars,  pepper,  coffee, 

German  and  British  manufactures,  300,000 

From  France,  sugar,  coffee,  pepper,  steel,  cloths,  and 

other  French  manufactures,  200,000 

From  the  Levant,  raw  silk  and  manufactures,  100,000 

From  France  and  Italy,  jewels,  diamonds,  silver  plate, 

lumber,  100,000 


Spanish  dollars,  $1,200,000 

EXPORTS  FOR  1822. 

From  the  ports  of  the  kingdom  to  Marseilles,  Leghorn,  and 

Genoa  : 

20,000  quintals  of  wool,  at  an  average  $8,  $160,000 

10,000      do.     of  hides,            "             8,  80,000 

600           do.          wax,                         30,  18,000 

Ostrich  feathers,  and  other  minor  articles,  15,000 


Spanish  dollars,         $273,000 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

The  balance  of  nine  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
thousand  dollars,  enormous  for  a  country  of  so  few 
active  resources  as  Algiers,  is  remitted  annually  in 
gold  and  silver.  Unless  a  counterbalance  be  found 
in  the  internal  traffic  of  Algiers,  against  this  enor- 
mous deficit  in  her  external  trade,  it  evidently  leads 
to  exhaustion  and  ultimate  ruin.  And  this  traffic  is 
very  doubtful ;  for  Algiers,  depending,  and  with  much 
reason,  upon  her  resources  from  war  and  plunder, 
has  less  cultivated  an  intercourse  with  the  interior 
of  Africa  than  any  other  of  the  Barbary  states. 
There  is  a  small  caravan  that  trades  between  Oran 
and  Tombuctoo  by  Tafilet,  or  the  western  route 
to  that  hitherto  mysterious  city,  and  there  is  an 
open  intercourse  with  the  Biscaries  and  the  Moza- 
bis,  who  inhabit  the  borders  of  the  desert  south  of 
Algiers. 

I  have  questioned  several  persons  of  these  tribes, 
who  inform  me  that  they  have  no  direct  communi- 
cation with  the  interior  of  Africa  beyond  Gadames, 
which  is  the  emporium  of  Tunis,  and  those  tribes 
representing  Algiers,  with  Tombuctoo,  the  Soudan, 
and  generally  the  interior  of  Africa.  Tripoli  trades 
with  the  same  by  Socna  and  Mourzouk.  From 
these  sources  then,  in  exchange  for  European 
manufactures  and  grain,  they  receive  gold  dust, 
ostrich  feathers,  dates,  and  camels.  From  Tripoli 
Algiers  receives  annually  a  few  slaves,  which  are 
paid  for  in  the  produce  of  the  country.  But  from 
the  languid  state  of  the  trade  with  these  sources r 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  81 

and  from  the  rivalship  of  Tunis,  which  has  ever 
been  more  commercial  in  its  character,  and  is  con- 
sequently better  supplied  with  foreign  commodi- 
ties, and  also  of  Morocco,  Tripoli,  and  Egypt,  it 
may,  without  great  risk  of  error,  be  concluded,  that 
the  great  portion  of  the  above  deficit  is  drawn  from 
the  capitals  of  this  city,  which  evidently  could  not 
long  support  such  a  drain,  wrere  it  not  for  the  an- 
nual excess  of  the  expenditure  of  this  government 
above  their  revenues  of  perhaps  half  a  million  of 
dollars,  which  is  drawn  from  their  hoarded  treasury, 
and  thrown  into  circulation. 

Algiers  having  enjoyed  during  three  centuries 
the  profitable  privilege  of  pillaging  the  commercial 
world  almost  at  discretion,  a  great  accumulation  of 
metallic  wealth  in  this  piratical  city  has  been  the 
necessary  consequence  ;  it  may  therefore  be  ranked, 
as  before  remarked,  as  one  of  the  richest  in  the 
world  in  specie  and  jewels.  A  natural  consequence 
of  this  long  prosperity  has  been  a  great  improve- 
ment of  its  environs,  which,  in  themselves  romantic 
and  beautiful,  have  been  ornamented  with  pleas- 
ant villas,  which  are  believed  to  amount  to  at 
least  a  thousand  in  number.  Some  of  these  retreats 
are  splendid  edifices  in  the  Moorish  style,  and 
many  of  them  are  abandoned  and  falling  into 
ruins,  from  having  incurred  the  imputation  of  being 
haunted,  which  with  the  superstitious  Algerines  is 
a  sufficient  reason  to  abandon  a  house  entirely,  in 
spite  of  their  avarice. 
11 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

Ill  the  economy  of  these  gardens,  there  is,  how- 
ever, very  little  taste  displayed  ;  their  external 
appearance  is  often  magnificent,  hut  generally  on 
inspection,  the  charm  vanishes  entirely.  A  use- 
ful consequence  of  the  magnificence  of  these  fortu- 
nate banditti  is,  that  the  foreign  agents  residing 
here  are  well  lodged  both  in  town  and  country  at 
a  moderate  rent,  and  are  abundantly  supplied  with 
excellent  vegetables  and  fruit. 

The  city  of  Algiers  is,  as  was  before  remarked, 
without  suburbs.*  Its  immediate  environs,  within  the 
compass  of  half  a  mile,  are  occupied  by  cemeteries, 
and  offer  a  gloomy  spectacle  of  mouldering  tombs 
and  ruined  sepulchral  edifices.  They  are  entirely 
uninclosed,  and  consequently  serve  for  pasturage 
to  domestic  animals.  The  prowling  jackall  also 
not  unfrequently  makes  free  with  the  newly  inter- 
red bodies.  I  have  not  remarked  that  there  is  any 
prejudice  against  these  abodes  of  the  dead  being 
visited  by  strangers.  The  Moors  frequently  go  to 
great  expense  in-erecting  sepulchral  monuments  to 
their  deceased  relatives,  but  they  are  then  abandon- 
ed to  the  risk  of  all  sorts  of  accidents,  and  shortly 
fall  into  dilapidation  and  ruin.  The  foreign  agents 
residing  in  Algiers  have  no  intercourse  except  of- 
ficially, with  the  Turks  or  natives,  their  society  is 
consequently  confined  to  their  own  circle  ;  but  as 
the  representatives  of  foreign  states  here  are  gene- 

*  At  the  eastern  gate  of  the  city,  called  Bab  Azon,  there  is  a  sort 
of  emporium  for  the  caravans  arriving  from  the  interior,  where  has 
grown  up  a  small  suburb,  which  appears  to  be  increasing. 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS.  83 

rally  men  of  respectable  talents  and  character,  en- 
joying the  confidence  of  their  respective  govern- 
ments, the  union  of  their  families  forms  one  of  the 
most  friendly  and  pleasing  societies  that  I  have 
ever  met  with  ;  indeed,  in  this  respect,  leaving 
nothing  to  desire.  The  style  of  living  here  is 
rather  splendid  and  elegant,  but  entirely  unencum- 
bered with  fastidious  and  fatiguing  forms  :  should 
I  ever  be  called  away  from  Algiers,  I  should  not 
cease  to  regret  being  deprived  of  the  kind  hospitality 
and  friendly  fascinations  of  its  interesting  society. 

The  plain  of  Metijah,  the  eastern  part  of  which 
is  contiguous  to  the  city  of  Algiers,  is  probably 
one  of  the  most  valuable  expanses  of  territory,  its 
climate,  position,  and  the  fertility  of  its  soil  consider- 
ed, that  exists  on  our  globe.  It  contains  about  one 
thousand  square  miles  of  surface,  is  watered  by  in- 
numerable springs,  and  streams  from  the  surround- 
ing mountains,  and  is  probably  capable  of  furnishing 
subsistence  to  a  population  relatively  greater  than 
any  other  on  earth.  If  this  unfortunate  country 
should  ever,  in  the  course  of  events,  again  come 
into  the  enjoyment  of  the  benefits  of  civilization, 
the  city  of  Algiers,  through  the  natural  resources  of 
the  plain  of  Metijah,  must  become  one  of  the  most 
opulent  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean. 
Through  the  silent  operation  of  the  barbarous  des- 
potism of  the  Algerine  government,  it  has  become 
a  perfect  desert,  without  inhabitants  or  culture. 

An   article  on  the  weights  and   measures  of  Al- 
giers is  inserted  in  the  Appendix. 


81  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OF  THE  DIFFERENT  NATIONS  OR  TRIBES  INHABITING  THE 
KINGDOM  OF  ALGIERS;  THEIR  PROBABLE  ORIGIN;  MAN- 
NERS ;  CHARACTER,  RELIGION,  AND  LANGUAGES.  TUA- 
RIKS. 

THE  Turks,  though  an  original  people,  are  mere 
sojourners  as  coriquerers  in  Africa  ;  they  gradually 
mix  with  the  Moors,  and  if  they  were  not  con- 
stantly recruited  from  abroad,  would  soon  cease  to 
be  a  distinct  class  in  the  Algerine  population. 
They  are  strict  Mussulmans,  and  their  language  is 
the  political  language  of  the  government. 

The  ancient  name  of  the  Moors,  Mauri,  is,  I  pre- 
sume, a  generic  term,  designating  all  the  inhabitants 
of  Morocco  and  Barbary ;  but  as  every  thing  relating 
to  these  countries  is  very  loosely  fixed,  I  have  tak- 
en the  liberty  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  to  apply 
it  specifically  only,  to  the  portion  of  the  population 
of  Algiers  here  described.  The  Moors  then,  who 
form  the  great  majority  of  the  population  of  the 
cities  of  this  kingdom,  are  a  factitious  race  de- 
scended from  the  ancient  Africans,  the  Arabs,  and 
emigrants  from  Spain  ;  and  are  constantly  adulter- 
ated by  the  mixture  of  Turks,  and  of  the  different 
African  tribes,  who,  on  settling  in  the  cities,  by 
time,  change  of  manners,  and  intermarriage,  lose 
their  primitive  character,  and  become,  to  all  intents 


SKETCHES  OF  ALCSIERS.  85 

and  purposes,  Moors.  They  speak  a  dialect  of  the 
Arabic,  which  may  properly  enough  be  termed  the 
Moorish ;  they  profess  the  Mohammedan  faith, 
and  though  of  multifarious  origin,  constitute  a  peo- 
ple possessing  a  distinct  national  character  :  in  this 
respect  they  bear  much  analogy  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Great  Britain,  and  the  United  States.  From 
the  native  genius  and  versatile  character  of  the 
Moors,  it  appears  to  me  that  under  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, they  are  capable  of  attaining  the  high- 
est degree  of  civilization. 

The  Arabs  inhabit  the  plains  of  this  kingdom  ; 
they  live  in  tents,  and  are  constantly  changing  their 
positions  according  to  the  seasons  and  abundance  of 
pasturage.  Their  manners  are  purely  pastoral,  and 
they  probably  possess  both  the  virtues  and  the  vices 
of  their  Asiatic  ancestors.  How  far  these  Arabs 
have  mixed  with  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  the 
plains  of  Mauritania  which  they  have  conquered 
and  appropriated,  must  be  matter  of  mere  conjec- 
ture. They  speak  the  Arabic  language,  profess 
the  Mohammedan  faith,  and  their  physical  and 
moral  character,  and  their  manners  and  customs,  are 
so  precisely  those  of  the  Arabs  of  Asia,  who  have 
been  described  by  so  many  illustrious  travellers, 
that  it  seems  superfluous  to  attempt  a  description 
of  them  here. 

The  Arabs  are  tributary  to  the  Algerine  govern- 
ment, but  in  other  respects  they  live  in  a  state  of 
quasi  independence  under  their  own  Sheichs,  and 


86  SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS. 

their  own  laws.  When  they  find  the  despo- 
tism of  the  Beys  press  too  hard  upon  them,  they 
wander  into  another  jurisdiction,  or  into  the  Sahara, 
beyond  their  power.  In  this  manner  have  the  fer- 
tile plains  of  Bona,  in  the  province  of  Constantine, 
been  of  late  years  nearly  depopulated  by  the  de- 
sertion of  the  Arab  tribes  from  a  tyranny  and  op- 
pression which  they  could  not  endure.  In  the  lat- 
ter case,  they  have  generally  taken  refuge  in  the 
kingdom  of  Tunis.  The  auxiliary  cavalry  that 
serves  in  the  provinces  with  the  Turkish  troops,  is 
furnished  by  the  Arabs. 

The  Biscaries  inhabit  the  southern  region  of  this 
kingdom,  on  the  borders  of  the  Sahara,  south  of  the 
great  salt  marsh,  called  the  Schott.  They  are  a 
swarthy,  serious  people,  differing  very  much  in  ap- 
pearance, as  well  as  in  spirit  and  manners  from  the 
Arabs  and  other  African  tribes  ;  though  as  they 
speak  only  a  corrupt  dialect  of  the  Arabic,  it  seems 
probable  that  they  are  a  fragment  of  that  celebrat- 
ed people,  who  by  having  become  sedentary,  and 
mixing  with  the  Africans,  have  changed  their  man- 
ners. This  conjecture  is  strengthened  by  the  fact 
of  their  inhabiting  a  district  of  territory  over  which 
the  stream  of  Asiatics,  who  invaded  and  conquer- 
ed this  portion  of  Africa  in  the  seventh  century, 
must  necessarily  have  passed.  The  Biscaries  are 
subject  to  the  Regency,  and  are  their  most  quiet 
subjects  ;  a  Turkish  garrison  is  maintained  in  their 
territory,  under  the  orders  of  a  Kaid,  though  in  this 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  87 

city  they  enjoy  the  privilege  of  living  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  their  A.min,  resident  here,  who  is  re- 
cognised by  this  government.  The  Biscaries  ap- 
pear to  be  an  acquiescent,  faithful  people  ;  they  are 
employed  as  confidential  servants  by  the  principal 
people  here  ;  they  have  the  monopoly  of  the  bake- 
houses, they  are  the  only  porters  in  Algiers,  and  are 
exclusively  employed  as  labourers  on  the  public 
works  ;  they  are  also  agents  of  the  trade  between 
Algiers  and  Gadames.  Blindness  appears  to  be  an 
infirmity  of  this  little  nation,  which  is  probably 
owing  to  circumstances  of  the  desert  which  they 
inhabit  ;  there  are  many  blind  Biscaries  in  Algiers, 
who  are  entrusted  with  the  care  of  the  streets,  and 
interior  gates  of  the  city  during  the  night.  They 
are  purely  Mohammedans. 

The  Beni  Mozaab  of  Shaw,  or  Mozabis,  inhabit 
a  district  of  the  desert  about  twenty  days  journey 
of  a  caravan  south  of  Algiers,  and  at  least  five  days 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  Regency,  without  water. 
I  say  about  twenty  days  from  Algiers,  because 
however  strange  it  may  appear,  I  cannot  ascertain 
the  distance  positively,  some  having  assured  me  that 
it  was  forty  days'  journey.  There  is  a  mistrust  and 
fear  of  the  government  about  all  these  people  ex- 
cept the  Kabyles,  that  cannot  be  overcome.  The 
result  of  my  information,  which  I  have  reason  to 
believe  is  correct,  is  that  this  little  nation  is  formed 
of  five  districts,  viz.  Gordica,  Berigan,  Wargala, 
Engoussa,  and  Nadeama.  These  places  are  noted 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

in  Major  Kennel's  Map  of  Africa,  and  are  placed 
between  the  31  and  33  degrees  of  north  latitude, 
which  distance  does  not  correspond  with  my  infor- 
mation, unless  a  day's  journey  of  a  caravan  be  re- 
duced to  fifteen  miles:  but  as  I  suppose  the  posi- 
tions of  these  countries  were  never  fixed  by  actual 
observation,  there  may  be  error  in  both. 

A  Thaleb  of  this  country,  who  is  resident  here, 
informed  me,  that  each  of  these  tribes  is  governed 
by  a  council  of  twelve  notables,  elected  by  the 
people  ;  that  their  population,  he  thinks,  amounts  to 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  souls,  but  this  num- 
ber is  probably  exaggerated ;  that  he  has  no  know- 
ledge of  their  ever  having  been  engaged  in  war  with 
any  foreign  people,  but  feuds  amongst  themselves  are 
common ;  that  it  seldom  rains  in  that  country ;  that 
they  obtain  water  from  wells  ;  that  they  cultivate 
some  barley,  but  dates  are  their  most  valuable  pro- 
duction. That  the  country  is  surrounded  by  high 
rugged  barren  mountains,  where  there  are  mines  of 
gold  ;  that  they  are  acquainted  with  Tombuctoo, 
but  have  no  intercourse  with  the  interior  of  Africa 
except  through  Gadames,  and  Tafilet. 

The  Mozabis  are  a  quiet,  industrious,  and  com- 
mercial people,  noted  for  their  probity  and  good 
faith  in  all  their  dealings  ;  they  are  entirely  inde- 
pendent of  this  government,  and  have  express  stip- 
ulations with  the  Regency  respecting  their  privile- 
ges and  their  trade,  by  which  they  have  an  Amin, 
or  Consul,  resident  in  Algiers,  whose  civil  jurisdic- 


SKETCHES    OF     ALGIERS.  89 

tion  is  supreme  over  his  countrymen.  They 
appear  to  be  a  much  favoured  people  here  ;  they 
are  the  principal  agents  in  the  trade  of  Algiers  with 
the  interior,  and  they  enjoy  the  prescriptive  mo- 
nopoly of  the  public  baths,  the  butcheries,  and  mills 
of  the  city.  The  Mozabis  are  a  white  people,  re- 
sembling however,  the  Arabs  in  features  and  com- 
plexion ;  they  profess  the  Mohammedan  faith,  with 
some  differences  that  I  cannot  explain  ;  they  refuse 
to  worship  in  the  public  mosques,  and  have  one 
authorized  for  their  special  use  in  a  mill  without 
the  city.  I  am  informed  that  the  reason  why  they 
refuse  to  worship  in  the  public  mosques  is,  because 
there  are  common  sewers  running  under  them,  and 
that  they  are  consequently  unclean  places.  The 
Mozabis  speak  the  same  dialect  which  is  common  to 
all  the  Barbary  tribes  usually  called  Kabyles,  except 
that  it  is  more  refined  and  polished,  owing,  proba- 
bly, to  their  commercial  character  and  peaceable 
pursuits. 

This  fact,  together  with  their  geographical  posi- 
tion, seems  to  imply  that  they  are  an  original,  un- 
conquered  people,  but  whether  a  relic  of  the 
ancient  Getuli,  or  a  colony  of  Kabyles,  must  re- 
main doubtful.  The  Mozabis,  in  exchange  for 
foreign  manufactures  and  grain,  import  into  Algiers 
slaves,  gold  dust,  ostrich  feathers,  camels,  and 
dates  ;*  but  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  this  trade 

On   the  arrival  of  these  caravans  in  Algiers,  I  have  often  pur 

VJ 


90  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

is  very  limited.  The  Thaleb  with  whom  I  con- 
versed, was  well  acquainted  with  the  Tuariks,  he 
said  they  were  a  Jferocious  nation  of  robbers,  in- 
habiting the  desert,  who  speak  the  same  language 
as  his  nation.  I  showed  him  the  coloured  prints 
representing  the  persons  and  costume  of  the  Tua- 
riks in  Captain  Lyon's  travels,  which  he  recognised 
immediately,  and  after  examining  them  with  great 
attention,  said  they  were  a  most  exact  representa- 
tion of  that  terrible  people. 

The  people  of  this  northern  portion  of  Africa 
who  deserve  the  most  attention,  are  the  Kabyles, 
who  have  always  maintained  their  independence 
of  the  Algerine  government,  and  are  probably  rem- 
nants of  the  ancient  Numidico-Mauritanians,  who 
have  never  been  completely  subjected  by  any  of 
the  conquerors  of  this  part  of  Africa,  from  the  time 
of  the  Carthaginians  to  the  present  day.  They 
have  obtained  the  national  denomination  of  Ka- 
byles from  the  Arabic  term  kabyleah,  meaning 
tribes:  which,  however  undignified,  is  expressive 
enough  of  their  political  condition ;  for  they  inva- 
riably inhabit  the  mountains,  from  the  main  Atlas 
throughout  all  its  branches  eastward,  and  derive 
specific  appellations  from  the  names  of  those  moun- 
tains in  the  Arabic  tongue,  as  Beni  Snouse,  Beni 
Zerwal,  Beni  Zwowah,  Beni  Abbess,  &c.  which 

chased  packages  of  dates,  of  the  choicest  quality,  consisting  of  a  sin- 
gle select  branch  or  cluster,  inclosed  in  dried  goat  skins,  and  weigh- 
ing from  six  to  ten  pounds,  for  less  than  a  dollar. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  91 

are  terms  in  that  language  meaning  children,  or 
inhabitants  of  the  mountains  indicated  ;  and  the 
inhabitants  of  each  constitute  an  independent  state, 
or  republic.  These  people  are  also  termed  Bere- 
bers,  or  Brebers,  from  which  is  probably  derived 
the  actual  denomination  of  Barbary,  which  this 
part  of  Africa  is  known  by,  being  probably  a  cor- 
ruption of  Bereberia,  the  term  in  use  at  this  day  to 
designate  this  country  in  the  Spanish  language. 
But  now  they  are  mere  classical  terms,  for  these 
people  are  unconscious  of  being  either  Berebers  or 
Brebers. 

The  Kabyles  are  a  white  people,*  of  middling 
stature,  muscular,  athletic,  and  active,  as  is  usual 
with  mountaineers,  but  never  corpulent ;  and  are  of 
lively,  social  manners,  and  of  ingenious  disposi- 
tions ;  many  of  them  are  of  light  complexions, 
with  hair  approaching  to  flaxen,  resembling  rather 
the  peasants  of  the  north  of  Europe,  than  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Africa.  Doctor  Shaw  mentions  a  tribe  of 
these  people  inhabiting  the  mountains  of  Auress 
(Mons  Aurasius,  Mons  Audus,  south  of  Constantine, 
where  was  situated  the  ancient  Lambesa),  where 
they  are  all  of  this  complexion.  These  mountains 
have  been  since  visited  by  Bruce,  who  confirms 
Doctor  Shaw's  account  of  them. 

*  In  describing  the  Kabyles  as  a  white  people,  I  merely  mean  that 
they  appear  to  belong"  to  that  class  of  our  species  so  denominated,  in 
contradistinction  to  the  Negro,  the  Hindoo,  the  American  Indian,  &c.; 
though  1  have  seen  some  of  these  mountaineers  of  the  fairest  com- 
plexions, with  light  flaxen  hair. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

These  facts,  together  with  the  unafrican  moral 
qualities  of  the  Kabyles,  led  me  to  the  belief  of 
their  being  a  remnant  of  the  Vandals,  who  after 
the  destruction  of  the  Vandal  empire  in  this  coun- 
try by  Belisarius,  had  taken  refuge  in  the  moun- 
tains and  perpetuated  their  race  there ;  but  the  ab- 
sence of  any  trace  of  the  Teutonic  in  their  language, 
destroys  this  presumption,  and  their  origin  must  be 
sought  for  elsewhere  ;  though  a  mixture  of  Vandal 
blood  with  theirs  may  be  probable.  The  Kabyles 
invariably  inhabit  the  mountains  even  to  their  high- 
est summits,  where  they  dwell  in  stationary  villa- 
ges, Dashkerahs,  composed  of  huts  built  of  mud 
and  wattles ;  they  never  descend  into  the  plains 
but  for  the  purposes  of  war,  or  as  adventurers. 
Their  governments  are  a  mixture  of  aristocracy 
and  democracy,  very  inefficient  and  unequal  to 
restraining  a  turbulent  and  warlike  populace  ;  their 
chiefs  are  elected  for  indefinite  periods  from  amongst 
the  notables,  and  are  able  to  exercise  but  a  feeble 
authority  ;  they  inform  me  that  safety  amongst 
them  for  person  and  property  depends  chiefly 
upon  the  strength  of  their  families  and  alliances. 

The  Kabyles  are  nevertheless  an  ingenious  and 
industrious  people  ;  their  flocks  and  agriculture 
furnish  them  with  a  sufficient  subsistence,  but,  be- 
sides the  woollen  manufactures  for  home  use,  com- 
mon to  all  Barbary,  the  principal  portion  of  the 
oil  consumed  in  this  country  proceeds  from  their 
industry  ;  they  extract  and  smelt  the  iron  ore  of 


sl/lCHKS    OF   ALGIERS.  93 


their  mountains,  from  which  they  furnish  a  variety 
of  rude  castings,  and  implements  of  agriculture  to 
the  Moors  ;  and  they  understand  the  art  of  converting 
it  into  steel,  and  fabricate  from  it  all  sorts  of  arms, 
as  also  a  great  variety  of  common  cutlery.  They 
are  also  well  acquainted  with  the  manufacture  of 
gunpowder.  As  they  consume  little  or  nothing 
of  foreign  manufacture,  from  all  these  sources  their 
mountains  may  be  regarded  as  containing  consider- 
able masses  of  metallic  wealth.  The  Kabyles  con- 
stitute the  most  numerous  class  of  the  Algerine 
population,  and  if  they  were  capable  of  union,  they 
must  soon  be  the  ruling  power  in  the  country  ;  but 
they  are  divided  into  a  thousand  petty  republics, 
and  arc  usually  at  war  amongst  themselves.  The 
Algerine  government  seek  to  promote  these  feuds, 
and  avail  themselves  of  their  factious  dispositions 
to  divide  and  control  them.  But  their  independ- 
ent spirit  is  unconquerable  ;  there  is  no  instance  in 
Algerine  history  of  the  complete  submission  of  a 
tribe  of  Kabyles  ;  they  sustain  war  to  the  utmost, 
and  if  broken  up,  the  remnant  joins  some  other 
tribe.  The  Turks  are  so  well  aware  of  this  spirit, 
that  in  case  of  war  with  them,  they  seek  only  to 
ravage  their  territory,  in  which,  from  a  better  com- 
bination of  their  means,  they  usually  succeed,  and 
compel  the  Kabyles  to  a  renewal  of  peace.  The 
most  powerful  of  these  tribes  inhabit  the  mountains 
of  the  province  of  Constantine. 


94  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

The  Beni  Abbess,  who  command  the  passes  in 
the  mountains  between  the  cities  of  Algiers  and 
Constantine,  are  alone  capable  of  coping  with  all 
the  force  of  the  Regency,  if  they  were  capable  of 
giving  a  skilful  direction  to  the  means  which  they 
possess.  In  the  maritime  parts  of  this  province,  the 
Kabyles  may  be  regarded  as  at  perpetual  war  with 
the  Turks.  They  are  masters  of  the  country  that 
surrounds  the  gulph  of  Stora  ;  where  their  hostili- 
ty to  strangers,  whom  they  probably  regard  as 
Turks,  is  such,  that  they  not  only  pillage  but  mur- 
der all  who  have  the  misfortune,  in  whatever  way, 
to  fall  into  their  power.  Under  the  treaties  of 
peace  with  the  Regency,  great  numbers  of  all  these 
tribes  seek  employment  in  Algiers  and  its  neigh- 
bourhood, as  shepherds,  and  field  labourers,  and 
with  foreigners,  as  house  servants,  and  as  such 
they  are  found  intelligent,  industrious,  and  faithful. 

The  jealousy  of  the  Algerine  government,  of  the 
intelligence  and  spirit  of  the  Kabyles,  excludes 
them  from  all  employment  in  private  families,  or  in 
any  of  the  public  or  private  establishments  of  the 
city.  It  is  only  within  about  twenty  years,  that 
the  foreign  Consuls  have  shaken  off  the  prejudice 
inculcated  against  the  Kabyles,  and  have  employed 
them  as  domestic  servants.  The  wages  usually  paid 
to  them  are  about  two  and  a  half  dollars  per  month. 
These  people  are  strongly  attached  to  their  native 
home  ;  they  can  rarely  be  persuaded  to  remain 
here  six  months  at  a  time,  without  revisiting  their 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  95 

mountains,  at  the  risk  of  losing  an  employment  in 
families  where  they  have  formed  attachments,  and 
where  they  are  kindly  treated.  Their  public  spirit 
is  such,  that  I  have  had  all  my  servants  leave  me 
suddenly,  alleging  that  their  country  was  engaged 
in  war,  and  had  a  paramount  claim  upon  their  per- 
sonal services.  While  within  the  grasp  of  the 
Algerines,  who  are  inexorable  on  the  article 
of  religion,  which,  indeed,  constitutes  the  main 
spring  of  their  government,  they  publicly  profess 
the  forms  of  the  Mohammedan  faith ;  but  this, 
they  inform  me,  is  not  required  of  them  in  their 
own  country,  where,  however,  they  do  not  pretend 
to  have  any  substitute  for  it.  There  is  a  founda- 
tion in  this  city  for  their  instruction  gratis. 

The  Kabyles  speak  a  language  which  there  is 
much  reason  to  believe  an  ancient  and  original 
tongue.  Doctor  Shaw  says  that  in  the  Atlas  it  is 
called  the  Shillah,  and  in  the  rest  of  Barbary  the 
Showiah,  without  being  able  to  give  any  ac- 
count of  their  derivation.  I  cannot  discover  that 
these  terms  are  now  known  at  all  ;  but  hereafter, 
in  speaking  of  this  language,  1  have  selected  the 
latter,  though,  if  it  were  not  too  great  an  innova- 
tion, I  should  feel  disposed  to  denominate  it  the 
Libyan,  as  more  dignified  and  expressive. 

All  the  other  inhabitants  of  this  part  of  Africa 
may  be  traced  to  a  probable  origin ;  the  Kabyles 
alone  remain  to  be  accounted  for.  They  differ  so 
much  in  personal  appearance,  manners,  and  char- 


96  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

actcr,  from  all  the  people  of  this  country,  who 
claim  affinity  with  the  Arabs,  and  speak  so  pecu- 
liar a  dialect,  that  their  origin  must  be  sought  for 
amongst  people  anterior  in  this  country  to  the  latter. 
History  docs  not  justify  a  belief  that  this  section 
of  Africa  was  ever  completely  subjected  to  Car- 
thage. That  trading  nation  appears  to  have  carried 
her  views  no  farther  than  the  establishment  of 
factories,  or  colonies,  on  the  maritime  coast,  and  of 
ruling  Africa  by  her  commercial  influence.  The 
second  Punic  war  fully  demonstrates  this  fact, 
when  her  rival  negotiated  offensive  treaties  with  the 
independent  princes  of  Africa,  and  derived  from 
them  the  most  capital  advantages,  during  the  con- 
test between  Scipio  and  Hannibal. 

The  Carthaginian  empire  in  Africa  appears  to 
have  resembled  that  of  the  British  at  this  day  in 
India,  where  the  great  objects  sought  for  were 
commerce  and  revenue.  But  such  a  rule,  as  ex- 
perience has  abundantly  taught,  is  not  likely  to 
give  the  laws,  institutions,  and  language  of  the 
predominant  power  to  the  people  under  its  con- 
trol or  influence.  Rome  followed  a  different  poli- 
cy, and  one  which  seems  calculated  to  overcome  all 
difficulties  in  this  respect ;  her  institutions  and  her 
language  invariably  followed  in  the  train  of  her 
conquests  :  yet  in  Greece  and  Asia,  and  even  in 
Calabria,  she  could  never  establish  her  language  as 
other  than  the  legal  medium  of  those  countries, 
when  the  seat  of  government  of  the  empire  was 


SKETCHES    ()l     M.fJIERS.  97 

transferred  to  Constantinople,  the  Greek  language 
gradually  supplanted  the  Roman,  and  finally  ren- 
dered it  obsolete.  In  Africa,  every  traee  of  the 
Roman  language  appears  to  have  been  eradicated 
by  the  Saracen  conquest. 

The  same  facts  may  be  remarked  in  British  his- 
tory ;  at  the  Norman  conquest,  all  the  power  and 
address  of  the  conquerors,  could  not  establish  the 
French  language  upon  a  firm  footing  in  Bri- 
tain ;  as  soon  as  the  government  ceased  to  be 
foreign,  our  obstinate  ancestors  resumed  their  na- 
tional dialects,  and  finally  expelled  that  of  their 
conquerors.  The  Celtic  also  exists  to  this  day  in 
all  its  vigour  and  abundance  in  several  districts  of 
Europe,  where  foreign  conquest  has  been  imper- 
fect. If  the  policy  of  Rome,  so  wise,  so  deep  laid, 
so  persevering,  could  not,  in  a  long  course  of  em- 
pire, impart  her  language  to  the  African  tribes,  it 
may  fairly  be  presumed  that  the  Carthaginians  did 
not,  and  consequently  that  the  Showiah  is  anterior 
to  the  Punic  in  Africa. 

If  this  language  were  of  Punic  origin,  it  would 
belong  to  the  class  denominated  Shemitic,  and  must 
naturally  bear  some  analogy  to  the  Hebrew,  and 
to  the  Arabic.  Of  this  I  cannot  judge,  but  I 
have  the  assurance  of  the  learned  Shaw  that  it  does 
not,  and  his  opinion  is  corroborated  by  that  of  the 
Jews  and  Arabs  of  this  country  :  and  if  it  is  not 
derived  from  the  Punic,  it  seems  to  follow  of  course, 
that  its  origin  must  be  as  ancient  as  that  of  any 
13 


98  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

other  known  tongue,  and  that  the  people  who  speak 
it,  descend  from  a  stock  of  the  remotest  antiquity. 

Herodotus  has  the  following  remark  :  "  Speaking 
with  all  the  precision  I  am  able,  the  country  I  have 
been  describing  is  inhabited  by  four  nations 
only  ;  of  these,  two  are  natives,  and  two  strangers. 
The  natives  are  the  Africans  and  ^Ethiopians  ;  one 
of  whom  possess  the  northern,  the  other  the  south- 
ern parts  of  Africa.  The  strangers  are  the  Phoeni- 
cians and  the  Greeks." 

And  the  veracity  and  exactness  of  this  ancient 
historian  are  most  remarkably  corroborated  by  late 
travellers  in  Africa. 

This  account  by  Herodotus  of  the  origin  of  the 
early  inhabitants  of  Africa,  is  so  natural  and  plain, 
as  to  require  no  excess  of  credulity,  no  violence  to 
the  imagination  to  believe.;  while,  I  apprehend, 
no  reflecting  person  acquiesces  in  the  opinion 
of  Sallust,t  that  this  part  of  Africa  was  peopled 

*  Melpomene,  197. 

fSome  persons  appear  to  attach  considerable  importance  to  the 
form  of  the  Numidian  tent,  which  is  described  by  Sallust  as  resem- 
bling- that  of  a  ship  or  vessel  turned  bottom  upwards,  as  proof  of  the 
correctness  of  his  theory  of  the  origin  of  these  Africans.  It  is  true 
that  this  resemblance  holds  good  in  a  certain  degree  to  this  day. 
But  it  appears  to  me  that  the  general  fact,  that  man  in  his  primitive 
state  always  adapts  the  form  of  his  dwelling  to  the  most  convenient 
mode  in  which  his  materials  for  building-  can  be  put  together,  affords 
'A.  much  better  reason  for  it.  The  primitive  Numidians  had  only 
stakes  and  skins,  or  cloth,  made  of  the  wool,  fur,  or  hair  of  animals, 
to  construct  their  dwellings  of ;  they  could,  therefore,  have  hardly 
adopted  any  more  convenient  form  of  building  than  that  which  would 


SKKTCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  !VJ 

by  the  vagabond  fragments  of  the  army  of  Hercu- 
les, disbanded  in  Spain  ;  and  the  pretended  columns 
of  Procopius,  with  Punic  inscriptions,  purporting 
that  its  first  inhabitants  were  a  colony  of  Canaan- 
ites,  driven  from  their  own  land  by  the  "  robber, 
Joshua,"  do  not  appear  to  be  entitled  to  any  more 
respect,  than  the  account  of  the  disentombing  of 
the  skeleton  of  the  giant  Antseus,  sixty  cubits  long, 
by  Sertorioiis,  as  related  by  Plutarch,  in  his  life  of 
that  illustrious  Roman. 

It  is  true  that  Europe  may  have  been  overrun  at 
some  former  period,  as  she  has  been  since,  by  mi- 
grating hordes  of  Asiatic  barbarians,  who  might  have 
passed  from  Spain  into  Africa,  and  the  tradition  of 
the  event  be  preserved  under  the  fiction  of  the  con- 
quests of  Hercules  ;  but  this  supposition  is  evident- 
ly gratuitous.  I  shall  add  in  the  Appendix,  a 
sample  of  the  Showiah,  or  language  of  the  Kabyles, 
as  far  as,  with  the  means  in  my  power,  I  have 

really  bear  much  resemblance  to  an  ancient  vessel  turned  bottom 
upwards.  For  the  same  reason,  the  barbarians  inhabiting  the  west- 
ern coast  of  Africa,  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  ocean,  and  the  continent 
of  America,  whose  materials  for  building  generally  consist  of  bam- 
boos, canes,  the  slender  branches  of  trees,  reeds,  gTass,  and  leaves, 
have  invariably  adopted  the  conical  form  ;  which,  under  such 
circumstances,  is  obviously  the  most  natural  and  convenient.  We 
may  pursue  this  argument  still  further,  and  allege,  that  all  over  the 
world,  man  has  been  found  to  have  invented  the  war  club  or  mace, 
the  bow  and  arrow,  tlio  spear,  and  the  dagger,  as  the  primitive  of- 
fensive arms.  But  Sallust  frankly  declares  that  he  adopts  opinions 
respecting  the  origin  of  the  Numidians,  which  are  not  (hose  of  his 
time  and  country,  and  we  have  no  documents  to  show  what  degree  of 
rredit  may  be  due  to  alleged  Cnrthnginian  authority. 


100  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

been  able  to  investigate  it,  with  the  vocabularies  of 
the  same,  collected  by  Doctor  Shaw,  and  other 
writers  on  this  country.  None  of  these  tribes  possess 
any  other  alphabet  than  the  Arabic,  and  I  am  una- 
ble to  learn  whether  they  even  write  with  it  their 
own  languages.  I  am  well  aware  of  my  incapacity 
to  discuss  a  question  of  this  nature  and  importance, 
but  as  my  object  is  only  to  draw  towards  it  the  at- 
tention of  those  who  are  able  to  do  it  justice,  I 
trust  that  the  following  remarks  will  not  be  regarded 
as  impertinent,  in  addition  to  the  preceding. 

The  Showiah  is  spoken  by  all  the  tribes  inhabit- 
ing the  Atlas,  and  its  various  branches  throughout 
Algiers  and  Tunis ;  and  by  those  inhabiting  the 
desert  from  Morocco  to  Siwah,  the  supposed  Oasis 
of  Jupiter  Ammon.  except  such  portions  of  the 
countries  in  question  as  were  accessible  to,  and 
conquered  by  the  Arabs  ;  and  with  so  little  varia- 
tion, as  to  be  reciprocally  understood  by  all  ;  that 
is,  by  numerous  tribes  inhabiting  an  immense  por- 
tion of  Africa,  who  exhibit  traits  of  original  char- 
acter, and  of  resemblance  to  each  other,  both  phys- 
ical and  moral. 

Although  the  Kabyles  are  an  ingenious  people, 
and  of  dispositions  the  most  tractable  and  social, 
they  do  not  discover  the  commercial  propensities  of 
the  Moors  and  Arabs  ;  independence  appears  to  be 
the  principal  object  of  their  existence,  and  with  it 
they  cheerfully  endure  poverty  in  the  most  rigorous 
climates.  Such  at  least  is  their  actual  political 


.  r/JTHKS    OF    ALGIERS.  101 

condition.  From  various  causes,  they  may  have 
thrown  off  their  surplus  population  amongst  their 
neighbours,  and  even  sent  out  colonies,  in  a  coun- 
try that  does  not  appear  to  have  ever  been  perfect- 
ly settled ;  yet  under  such  circumstances,  there 
would  be  few  inducements  for  strangers  to  mix 
with  them  in  their  mountains,  where  their  lan- 
guage might  in  consequence  remain  uncorrupted, 
for  an  indefinite  succession  of  ages.  A  people  thus 
circumstanced,  having  no  distinct  religion  of  their 
own,  might  easily  enough  accept  that  of  their 
neighbours,  when  nothing  was  hazarded  by  it;  and 
particularly  Islamism,  which  requires  little  instruc- 
tion, and  seems  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  concep- 
tions of  a  barbarous  people.  The  Kabyles  at  this 
day  are  regarded  as  mere  nominal  Mussulmans. 
From  what  is  related  of  the  Touariks,  by  the 
respectable  travellers  Hornenian  and  Lyon,  they 
are  also  a  white  people,  numerous,  brave,  warlike, 
and  of  an  independence  of  manners  and  deport- 
ment, that  displays  a  remarkable  contrast  with  the 
servility  in  practice  at  the  court  of  Fezzan.  Home- 
man  terms  them  a  great  people,  and  Captain 
Lyon  says  they  are  the  finest  race  of  men  he  ever 
saw.  They  occupy  the  vast  region  comprehended 
between  Fezzan,  the  country  of  the  Tibboos,  the 
Soudan,  Tombuctoo,  Morocco,  and  the  southern 
frontiers  of  Barbary  :  the  greater  portion  however, 
of  this  immense  expanse  of  territory,  must  be  un- 
inhabitable desert.  Horneman,  in  treating  of 
Siwah,  remarks,  that  they  speak  the  language  of 


102  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

the  Touariks,  of  which  he  gives  a  short  vocabulary. 
It  seems  that  there  may  be  some  relation  between 
the  terms  Siwah  and  Showiah ;  also  one  of  the 
villages  of  this  little  district  is  called  Agrmi,  which 
may  be  derived  from  Agarum,  bread,  meaning  a 
country  abounding  in  bread,  and  expressive  of  its 
fertility. 

Lyon  remarks  that  they  speak  the  language  of 
the  Berebers,  who  inhabit  the  mountains  of  Mo- 
rocco and  Barbary,  which  they  term  Irthna,  but  he 
gives  no  vocabulary  of  it  ;  that  they  boast  of  the 
antiquity  of  their  language,  and  pretend  that  it  was 
spoken  by  Noah  in  preference  to  any  other  ;  that 
they  do  not  understand  the  Arabic  at  all  ;  and  that 
they  have  no  knowledge  of  I  slam  ism  beyond  its 
forms,  to  which,  however,  they  are  most  supersti- 
tiously  attached.  Both  of  these  travellers  relate 
that  there  are  several  tribes  of  the  Touariks,  who 
are  still  pagans.  From  these  facts,  there  appears 
to  be  nothing  unreasonable  in  believing  that  the 

o  o 

Touariks  are  an  original,  unconquered  people,  and 
the  depository  of  an  ancient  language,  which,  being 
identified  w^ith  that  of  the  Kabyles,  the  Showiah, 
naturally  leads  to  the  conclusion,  that  it  is  one  of 
the  most  ancient  in  the  world,  which  has  withstood 
and  survived  the  conquests  of  the  Carthaginians, 
the  Romans,  the  Vandals,  and  the  Arabs. 

It  may  further  be  remarked  that  the  great  diffi- 
culty of  making  conquests  in  Libya  from  the  east, 
may  have  preserved  her  languages  from  adultera- 
tion. Egypt,  which  was  a  populous  and  powerful 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  103 

kingdom  from  the  earliest  historical  periods,  with 
her  dreary  deserts  on  each  side,  must  have  formed 
an  insurmountable  barrier  against  such  inundations 
of  Asiatic  barbarians  into  this  country,  as  Europe 
has  been  so  often  flooded  with,  like  torrent  suc- 
ceeding torrent,  and-  sweeping  into  one  common 
ruin  civilization,  institutions,  and  languages  ;  and 
which  may  be  assigned  as  a  cause  of  there  being 
so  great  a  number  of  dialects  in  use  in  a  space 
comparatively  so  small  as  Europe. 

The  invasion  of  Libya  by  the  army  of  Cambyses, 
from  Egypt,  is  the  only  one  of  this  character  re- 
corded in  history,  previous  to  that  of  the  Arabs, 
alter  the  complete  conquest  of  Egypt  ;  and  this 
army  perished  totally  in  the  desert.  The  march 
of  Alexander  from  Egypt  to  the  temple  of  Jupiter 
Ammon,  approaches  to  the  miraculous  ;  at  this  day, 
according  to  the  itinerary  of  Horneman,  it  would  not 
be  practicable.  It  would  therefore  appear  that  the 
nations  of  Libya  remained  in  the  state  in  which 
they  may  have  been  in  at  some  ante-historical  peri- 
od, with  no  other  moral  agents  acting  upon  them, 
than  the  maritime  colonies  of  the  Phoenicians  and 
Greeks,  until  they  came  to  be  more  generally  known 
through  the  Carthaginians  and  Romans.  From 
these  periods,  in  winding  through  the  labyrinths  of 
history,  we  sometimes  have  a  glimpse  of  these  Afri- 
cans under  the  names  of  Numidians,  Mauritanians, 
Getuli,  Massy lians,  Massasylians,  &c.,  always  re- 
sisting, always  vanquished,  but  never  subdued;  and 
is  their  condition  at  this  day. 


104  -  MATCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  SKETCH  OF  THE  POLITICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  REGENCY 
OF  ALGIERS,  FROM  THE  YEAR  1810  TO  1825. 

BANDITTI  like  the  Algerines,  who,  in  the  pride 
of  barbarism  and  ignorance,  despise  the  arts,  the 
science,  and  the  improvements  of  civilized  society, 
would  not  merit  the  attention  of  history  if  they  had 
not  by  a  strange  fatality,  alike  dishonourable  and 
injurious  to  civilization,  been  incorporated  into  the 
political  system  of  Europe.  Pampered  and  en- 
couraged by  the  two  greatest  maritime  powers  of 
the  world  in  their  arrogant  disavowal  of  the  laws 
of  nations,  these  pirates  appear  to  have  been  foster- 
ed by  them  as  fit  instruments  for  harrassing  the 
trade  of  the  minor  maritime  states,  and  thereby 
monopolizing  it  themselves. 

The  bombardment  of  Algiers  by  the  fleets  of 
Louis  XIV.  is  mentioned  by  Voltaire  as  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  achievements  of  the  reign  of  that 
vainglorious  monarch  ;  and  that  of  1816  by  the 
British  and  Dutch  fleets,  seems  to  be  held  in  equal 
consideration  :  but  neither  of  these  achievements 
were  any  thing  more  than  an  unequivocal  display 
of  power  over  a  most  contemptible  enemy,  and  one 
which  taught  them  that  if  the  interests  of  France 
and  Great  Britain  were  respected,  they  were  at 
liberty  to  prey  upon  the  rest  of  the  world  at  dis- 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS.  105 

cretion.  For  in  both  cases  they  were  humbled  to 
the  dust,  and  it  depended  only  on  the  conquerors 
to  suppress  their  piratical  practices  entirely  ;  but 
they  appear  to  have  preferred  an  influence  in  the 
Algerine  councils,  as  to  what  powers  might  be  de- 
clared against  and  harried,  to  the  glory  of  ridding 
the  civilized  world  of  a  nuisance.  And  this  influ- 
ence has  been  struggled  for  here  ever  since  by 
those  two  governments,  with  various  success,  ac- 
cording to  the  preponderating  fortunes  of  either. 

It  is  true,  that  the  ill  conducted  and  unfortunate 
expeditions  of  Spain  against  Algiers,  as  well  as  the 
incapacity  and  supineness  of  the  Portuguese  in  a 
long  naval  war,  which  they  waged  against  them, 
have  tended  to  give  a  dignity  and  importance  to 
the  power  of  the  Algerines,  which  are  manifestly 
without  any  foundation  in  their  own  merits.  I 
have  not  in  my  possession  the  documents  necessary 
to  enable  me  to  investigate  the  early  periods  of  Al- 
gerine history  ;  but  if  I  had  them,  they  could  fur- 
nish only  a  detail  of  sanguinary  atrocities  here,  too 
shocking  to  excite  interest,  and  of  mean  conde- 
scension, on  the  part  of  the  governments  of  Europe, 
to  the  insolent  pretensions  of  these  barbarians, 
dishonourable  to  civilization  ;  and  the  want  of  them 
is  therefore  not  to  be  regretted.  My  intention  then 
is,  only  to  attempt  a  summary  account  of  their  wars 
and  foreign  relations  since  the  year  1810,  the  era  of 
their  greatest  power  and  pretensions,  and  which 
appears  to  approach  the  period  of  their  total  decline. 
14 


106  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

Immediately  after  the  peace  of  1783,  when  the 
United  States  became  known  as  an  independent 
power,  Algiers,  in  virtue  of  her  recognised  rights, 
declared  war  against  them,  and  in  1785  captured 
two  of  their  vessels  on  the  ocean.  These  events 
excluded  their  trade  from  the  Mediterranean  ;  but 
Portugal  being  at  war  with  the  Regency,  according 
to  the  usual  policy  in  siich  a  case,  maintained  a 
naval  force  in  the  straits  of  Gibraltar,  which  was 
generally  sufficient  to  prevent  the  Algerine  cruisers 
from  passing  out  into  the  ocean,  where  the  Ameri- 
can trade  was  in  consequence  not  so  much  exposed 
to  their  depredations.  The  maritime  trade  of  the 
United  States  remained  in  this  equivocal  state  un- 
til the  year  1793,  when  the  British  government 
suddenly  negotiated  a  truce  between  Algiers  and 
Portugal ;  on  which  the  cruisers  of  the  former  imme- 
diately spread  into  the  ocean,  and  at  their  first  sweep 
in  that  year,  captured  eleven  sail  of  American  mer- 
chant vessels,  which  with  their  crews  they  brought 
safe  into  Algiers. 

This  event  augmented  the  number  of  American 
captives  in  slavery  in  Algiers,  to  above  a  hundred 
citizens,  and  the  sympathy  of  the  nation  was 
strongly  excited  in  their  favour.  The  United 
States  were,  at  the  period  in  question,,  just  emerg- 
ing from  the  difficulties  consequent  to  the  revolu- 
tionary war,  under  the  happy  influence  of  their 
present  constitution,  which  offered  the  most  bril- 
liant prospective  views  ;  but  under  the  pressure  of 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  107 

a  heavy  national  debt,  and  without  any  naval  force, 
this  Algerine  war  was  a  very  serious  national  in- 
convenience. An  attempt  at  negotiation  with  Al- 
giers for  the  liberation  of  their  captive  citizens 
held  in  slavery  there,  and  for  security  by  a  treaty 
of  peace  against  further  depredations,  on  the  best 
terms  practicable,  was  obviously  the  only  measure 
in  the  power  of  their  government,  and  was  adopted 
accordingly.  Colonel  Humphreys,  the  minister  of 
the  United  States  at  the  Court  of  Lisbon,  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  President  to  conduct  the  negotia- 
tions. He  in  consequence  commissioned  Joseph 
Donaldson,  who  proceeded  to  Algiers,  and  in  Sep- 
tember 1795,  negotiated  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the 
Regency,  with  a  special  agreement  binding  the 
United  States  to  pay  to  the  Algerines  about  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  which  sum 
included  the  ransom  of  one  hundred  and  one  surviv- 
ing captives,  and  such  presents,  gratifications,  &c.  as 
were  then  usual ;  the  Dey  of  Algiers  engaging  on 
his  part  to  procure  treaties  of  peace  for  the  United 
States,  with  the  Regencies  of  Tunis  and  Tripoli. 

The  finances  and  credit  of  the  United  States 
were  at  this  period  in  such  a  state  that  much  diffi- 
culty was  found  in  raising  the  sums  necessary  to 
carry  the  provisions  of  this  negotiation  into  effect, 
and  the  consequent  delay  was  such  as  to  excite  the 
apprehensions  of  the  Regency,  and  to  stimulate 
them  to  make  new  demands.  As  I  have  it  not  in 
my  power  to  consult  the  official  records  on  this 


108  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

subject,  1  can  only  state  generally,  what 
seems  sufficient  to  the  object  I  have  in  view,  that 
Joel  Barlow  commissioner  of  the  United  States 
ad  hoc,  succeeded  in  1796  in  terminating  this 
troublesome  negotiation,  by  making  the  payments 
stipulated  by  Mr.  Donaldson  in  the  year  preceding, 
and  by  new  sacrifices,  which,  including  the  losses 
incurred  in  raising  the  necessary  funds,  probably 
enhanced  the  cost  of  this  peace  to  much  above  a 
million  of  dollars.  By  this  treaty,  independent  of 
the  above  sacrifices,  the  United  States  became 
tributary  to  Algiers  in  the  annual  sum  of  twelve 
thousand  sequins,  about  twenty-two  thousand  dol- 
lars, payable  in  military  and  naval  stores,  which 
from  an  arbitrary  valuation  here,  that,  from  circum- 
stances, could  be  but  feebly  resisted,  probably 
amounted  to  nearly  double  that  sum ;  and  they 
also  agreed  to  pay  whatever  was  usual,  in  the  way 
of  periodical  or  incidental  presents,  with  other 
tributary  powers. 

Thus  were  the  United  States  compelled  by  im- 
perious circumstances  to  become  tributary  to  Al- 
giers ;  and  subsequently,  in  consequence  of  the 
extraordinary  extension  and  increasing  value  of 
their  commerce,  the  demands  of  the  Algerines  rose 
and  multiplied  with  the  readiness  of  the  American 
government  to  pay,  in  order  to  avert  a  rupture  of 
the  treaty,  which  at  different  periods  of  its  dura- 
tion must  have  been  attended  with  immense  pecu- 
niary loss,  as  well  as  political  embarrassment. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  109 

Such  was  the  nature  of  the  relations  of  the  United 
States  with  Algiers,  until  they,  were  gratuitously 
broken  by  a  declaration  of  war  by  the  latter. 

The  relations  of  France  with  the  Regency  of 
Algiers,  appear  always  to  have  been  of  a  more  in- 
terested if  not  of  a  more  amicable  character  than 
those  of  any  other  power.  France  having  been 
the  first  Christian  state  that  formed  alliances  with 
the  Ottoman  Porte,  and  also  the  first  to  arrest  the 
depredations  of  the  Algerines,  and  to  chastise  their 
insolence,  deep  impressions  were  in  consequence 
made  upon  the  minds  of  the  Algerines,  favour- 
able to  her  policy.  It  is  a  popular  saying  with 
them  to  this  day,  that  Algiers  should  never  pro- 
voke the  hostilities  of  France.  Previously  to  the 
revolution,  the  French  government  enjoyed  at  a 
moderate  annual  stipend,  the  exclusive  trade  of  the 
province  of  Constantina,  with  the  coral  fishery  on 
its  coast,  through  concessions  which  authorized 
them  to  maintain  a  military  post  at  La  Cala,  near 
Bona  ;  and  under  the  direction  of  a  chartered 
company,  Compagnie  d'Afrique,  they  improved 
these  advantages  With  the  spirit  and  industry  that 
characterize  that  intelligent  people. 

The  maritime  trade  of  Marseilles  with  all  the 
countries  accessible  through  the  Mediterranean  sea, 
was  immense  ;  and  the  hostilities  of  Algiers  against 
the  Italian  states,  left  her  flag  without  a  rival  in  the 
.Mediterranean,  except  those  of  Great  Britain  and 
the  northern  powers.  Her  policy  here  was  grounded 


110  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

upon  these  circumstances  ;  it  was  refined,  insin- 
uating, persuasive,  and  persevering.  Her  agents 
were  generally  men  of  abilities,  and  were  acquaint- 
ed with  the  interests  of  their  country,  viewed  in 
this  light ;  and  they  conciliated  by  seasonable  presents 
and  bribes,  the  favour  of  the  individuals  composing 
the  Algerine  government  and  their  dependents, 
keeping  always  in  view,  as  a  paramount  considera- 
tion, at  whatever  sacrifice  of  money,  or  even  of  dig- 
nity, the  interests  of  the  French  commerce.  The  Al- 
gerines,  well  aware  of  their  policy,  have  frequently 
taken  the  most  insolent  liberties  with  the  French 
flag,  well  knowing  that  the  discussions  in  conse- 
quence, must  necessarily  terminate  to  their  advan- 
tage ;  though  it  is  probable  that  the  French  agents 
have  occasionally  reminded  them,  and  with  effect, 
of  the  danger  of  encroaching  too  far  upon  the  pa- 
tience of  a  great  and  powerful  government. 

France  never  condescended  to  the  infamy  of 
paying  tribute  to  Algiers,  but  her  presents  were 
always  munificent  and  well  timed.  It  is  even 
probable  that  indirectly  she  pays  here  in  the  ag- 
gregate, more  than  any  other  people,  and  she  has 
ever  been  ready  to  render  them  any  obsequious 
service,  sometimes  even  in  direct  violation  of 
the  laws  of  nations.  The  revolution  interrupted 
this  state  of  things,  and  on  the  invasion  of  Egypt 
by  France,  the  Algerines  were  compelled  by  the 
Porte  to  declare  war  against  her  ;  which  however, 
being  contrary  to  their  wishes  and,  as  they  believ- 


SKETCHES    OP    ALGIERS.  Ill 

ed,  their  interests,  was  a  mere  nominal  war.  Na- 
poleon on  his  accession  to  the  consulate,  renewed 
the  peaceable  relations  between  France  and  Al- 
giers ;  and  subsequently,  through  intrigue,  ancient 
impressions  in  her  favour,  and  prospective  dread  of 
her  power,  he  compelled  the  Regency  to  liberate 
the  slaves  belonging  to  the  different  portions  of 
Italy,  that  were  successively  added  to  the  French 
empire,  and  to  recognise  and  respect  them  as  inte- 
gral parts  of  it.  But  the  influence  of  France 
declined  in  Algiers,  as  the  British  maritime  superi- 
ority rose  and  acquired  a  permanent  character ;  the 
coral  fishery  and  concessions  of  Bona  were  taken 
from  her  and  given  to  Great  Britain,  and  at  the 
period  in  question,  she  had  nearly  sunk  under  the 
superior  fortune  of  her  rival. 

Spain,  since  the  disgraceful  peace  which  she 
made  here  in  1785,  consequent  to  her  unfortunate 
expedition  under  Count  O'Reilly  in  1774,  and  sub- 
sequent useless  bombardments  by  Admiral  Barcelo 
until  1784,  useless  because  not  persevered  in,  has 
enjoyed  no  influence  in  Algiers  ;  a  contempt  for 
her  capacity  to  use  her  power,  has  been  the  motive 
for  the  most  humiliating  vexations,  through  which 
she  has  suffered  enormously.  She  has  always  since 
been  subject  to  forcible  exactions  of  money  in  Al- 
giers, on  the  most  frivolous  pretexts. 

Holland  deserves  to  be  mentioned  separately, 
only  from  the  circumstance  of  her  having  been  the 
first  civilized  state  that  ever  paid  tribute  to  Al- 


112  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

giers  ;  her  policy  here  was  consequently  a  mere 
mercantile  calculation,  without  dignity  or  influence. 
The  policy  of  the  northern  powers  here,  has  ever 
been  confined  to  maintaining  the  peace  on  the  best 
terms  they  could  respectively;  their  integrity  and 
good  faith  in  fulfilling  their  obligations,  have  some 
influence  on  the  Algerine  mind  ;  though  generally 
they  are  treated  in  the  way  the  Algerines  think 
most  useful  to  their  interests,  or  rather  to  their 
avarice  ;  as  they  occasionally  disregard  their  treaties 
with  them  entirely. 

The  policy  of  Great  Britain  in  Algiers,  has  ever 
been  of  a  different  character  from  that  of  France, 
though  she  has  obviously  aimed  at  the  same  objects. 
In  times  of  general  tranquillity  little  attention  has 
been  paid  by  her  towards  flattering  the  pride  and 
arrogance  of  the  Algerines,  and  on  ordinary  occa- 
sions she  has  been  very  sparing  of  her  presents. 
Her  agents  here  appear  to  have  been  promiscuously 
appointed,  consequently  possessing  by  accident 
only,  the  requisite  abilities  ;  they  have  also  always 
been  subordinate  to  the  commanding  admiral  in 
the  Mediterranean,  or  to  the  governors  of  Minorca, 
Gibraltar,  or  Malta.  Probably  from  the  want  of 
proper  instructions,  they  have  frequently  erred, 
and  not  unfrequently  been  recalled  on  complaint 
of  the  Regency.  But  Great  Britain,  without  the 
steadiness  or  design  of  France  in  her  policy  to- 
wards Algiers,  has  always  claimed,  and  not  in  vain, 
to  stand  here,  at  least  upon  an  equal  footing  with 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  113 

her  in  all  respects  ;  and  in  time  of  war,  has  con- 
descended to  rival  her  in  acts  of  complaisance 
towards  these  pirates,  quite  unbecoming  her  char- 
acter. 

I  am  inclined  to  believe,  from  the  blundering 
course  of  policy  which  has  been  followed  by  Great 
Britain  in  Algiers,  that  in  so  vast  a  concern  as  that 
of  her  government,  Algiers  has  been  viewed  through 
the  medium  of  ancient  impressions,  when  Holland 
was  a  formidable  maritime  rival,  and  that  its  real 
importance  has  not  been  properly  appreciated  ;  for 
I  do  not  find  that  the  British  government  have  gene- 
rally intrigued  here  against  any  other  power  than 
France  ;  and  before  1816,  when  they  have  med- 
dled in  favour  of  their  friends,  though  they  may 
have  quickened  the  negotiations,  they  have  seldom 
obtained  any  better  terms  than  could  have  been  had 
without  their  interference.  There  is  no  other  way 
of  accounting  for  her  strange  occasional  condescen- 
sion towards  a  power,  if  the  Algerines  may  be  so 
termed,  incapable  of  doing  her  any  mischief,  or  of 
rendering  her  any  essential  service.  There  never 
could  have  been  any  necessity  for  bombarding  Al- 
giers, at  an  immense  expense  of  valuable  lives  and 
treasure,  if  the  Algerines  had  not  been  absurdly 
flattered,  by  ill  timed  condescension,  into  the  belief 
of  their  being  capable  of  coping  with  the  first  rate 
powers,  consequently  with  Great  Britain  herself. 

Such  were  the  relative  political  positions  of  the 
different  states  known  and  represented  at  the  court 
15 


114  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

of  Algiers,  in  1810.  When  Portugal  was  struggling 
for  her  political  existence  ;  when  that  kingdom  was 
either  overrun  by  her  enemies  the  French,  or  in 
the  military  occupation  of  her  ally ;  and  the  rem- 
nant of  her  trade  exposed  to  the  depredations  of 
the  Algerines,  who  had  recently  captured  one  of 
her  finest  frigates  single-handed,  in  a  manner  most 
disgraceful  to  the  Portuguese  navy  ;  Great  Britain, 
determined  to  exert  her  influence  here  in  favour  of 
her  unfortunate  ally,  and  free  her,  at  least  for  the 
present,  from  that  intolerable  grievance.  Accord- 
ingly, the  British  secretary  of  legation  at  the 
court  of  Lisbon  proceeded  in  the  month  of  May, 
of  the  same  year,  from  that  capital  to  Algiers, 
where  he  negotiated  a  truce,  or,  more  properly, 
preliminary  articles  of  peace,  between  Portugal 
and  the  Regency,  on  the  condition  that  the  former 
should  pay  to  the  latter  the  sum  of  six  hundred 
and  ninety  thousand,  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  dollars  ransom  for  six  hundred  and  fifteen 
Portuguese  subjects  held  in  slavery  here.  Great 
Britain  engaging  to  continue  her  influence  for  the 
conclusion  of  a  definitive  treaty.  In  the  course  of 
the  following  year,  the  ransom  was  paid,  and  the 
slaves  in  question  liberated. 

In  the  year  1812,  a  definitive  treaty  was  con- 
cluded through  the  agency  of  Mr.  A'Court,  Minis- 
ter of  Great  Britain  to  the  Barbary  States,  by 
which  Portugal  paid  to  Algiers  the  further  sum  of 
above  half  a  million  of  dollars  ;  engaged  to  pay  an 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  115 

annual  tribute  of  twenty-four  thousand  dollars,  the 
usu;il  Consular  present,  and  the  biennial  presents. 
The  British  Consul  was,  in  consequence  of  this 
treaty,  appointed  and  installed  Consul  of  Portugal, 
which  post  he  still  holds,  and  for  which  he  re- 
ceives a  salary  and  the  usual  contingencies.  This 
negotiator,  Sir  William  A'Court,  has  since  be- 
come eminently  conspicuous  as  the  representa- 
tive of  his  sovereign,  in  two  highly  important  trans- 
actions, and  will  doubtless  not  be  overlooked  by 
the  historian  of  the  decline  of  the  British  influ- 
ence on  the  continent  of  Europe. 

In  the  same  year,  1810,  when  the  violence  of  the 
belligerents  had  driven  neutral  commerce  from  the 
ocean,  the  powers  tributary  to  Algiers,  and  amongst 
others,  the  United  States  were,  in  consequence, 
unable  to  send  thither  the  contributions  of  naval 
and  military  stores,  stipulated  for  by  their  respect- 
ive treaties.  The  Algerines  were,  therefore,  on 
the  point  of  being  reduced  to  the  distress  of  sus- 
pending their  piratical  depredations,  when  Great 
Britain  had  the  unaccountable  generosity  to  relieve 
their  embarrassments  by  sending  to  Algiers,  under 
convoy  of  a  vessel  of  war,  two  large  ships  and  a 
brig,  loaded  with  masts  and  other  spars,  cables, 
cordage,  powder,  cannon  balls,  and  other  necessary 
articles,  which  arrived  here  on  the  sixteenth  of  May 
of  that  year.  The  Algerines  always  regarded  these 
as  gratuitous  gifts;  though  payment  for  them  has 
been  since  demanded,  which  was  insisted  upon  by 


116  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

Lord  Exmouth,  and  was    probably   compelled  by 
him  after  the  bombardment  in  1816. 

In  September,  181 1 ,  a  small  Algerine  coasting  ves- 
sel was  captured  and  sunk  by  a  Sicilian  privateer, 
called  the  Rondinella  ;  and  on  the  twenty-second  of 
the  same  month,  a  Spanish  privateer,  commanded  by 
a  Captain  Barcelo,  arrived  in  Bona  for  refreshments, 
when  he  was  immediately  accused  as  the  author  of 
the  above  act,  and  the  Algerine  Governor  demand- 
ed of  the  Spanish  Vice-Consul  that  the  rudder  and 
sails  of  the  privateer  should  be  taken  away,  until 
the  matter  in  question  was  investigated,  and  satis- 
faction made.  The  most  satisfactory  proofs  were 
exhibited  of  the  innocence  of  the  accused,  but  to 
no  effect ;  his  immediate  arrest  was  required.  The 
Spanish  Captain,  having  no  confidence  in  Algerine 
justice,  departed  on  the  following  night,  leaving 
his  papers  in  the  hands  of  the  Vice-Consul.  The 
Dey  of  Algiers,  on  being  informed  of  this  affair, 
ordered  the  Spanish  Vice-Consul  to  be  brought  to 
him,  in  chains.  This  old  man,  sixty-five  years  of 
a^e,  was  conducted  in  irons  to  Algiers,  put  to  hard 
labour  in  the  stone  quarries,  and  treated  with  the 
utmost  inhumanity.  The  cap  ains  and  crews  of 
two  Spanish  vessels  then  in  the  port  of  Algiers, 
shared  the  same  fate,  and  their  cargoes,  to  the 
amount  of  upwards  of  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
were  confiscated. 

The    clearest  proofs   of^  the    innocence   of   the 
Spaniards  of  the  facts  alleged  against  them,  were 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  117 

produced,  but  nothing  was  listened  to  ;  and  the 
Bashaw  demanded  an  exorbitant  sum  of  money 
from  the  Regency  of  Spain  as  the  price  of  the  re- 
newal of  peaceable  relations.  In  this  distressing 
dilemma,  the  Spanish  government  had  recourse  to 
the  mediation  of  their  powerful  friend  and  ally, 
Great  Britain.  The  consequence  was,  that  the 
British  line-of-battle  ship,  the  Undaunted,  was 
despatched  to  Algiers,  with  upwards  of  seventy 
thousand  dollars,  which  had  been  collected  amongst 
the  smoking  ruins  of  Spain  as  a  peace-offering  ; 
her  commander,  Captain  Adam,  was  charged  writh 
the  negotiation,  in  which  he  succeeded,  through 
representing  the  inability  of  Spain  to  collect  more 
money  at  that  time.  At  the  same  time,  in  order 
to  aid  and  consolidate  this  negotiation,  the  Spanish 
Vice-Consul  here  was  raised  to  the  dignity  of 
Consul  General,  and  the  present  customary  on 
such  occasions,  was  made  through  the  aid  of  the 
British  government. 

Subsequent  to  the  above  transactions,  Great 
Britain,  being  in  the  complete  occupation  of  Sicily, 
appears  to  have  thought  it  proper  to  protect  the 
coasting  trade  of  that  island,  and  the  wretched 
inhabitants  of  its  shores  from  Algerine  depreda- 
tion, particularly  as  they  could  allege  that  the 
various  ports  of  Italy,  in  the  power  of  the  French, 
were  thus  protected.  Her  influence  was  according- 
ly exerted  in  Algiers  to  this  effect,  and  a  truce 
was  obtained  for  Sicily,  without  however  liberating 


118  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

the  natives  of  that  island  who  were  held  in  slavery 
here.  I  have  never  been  able  to  learn  whether  any 
thing  was  paid  for  this  truce  or  not. 

In  April,  1812,  a  letter  from  the  Prince  Regent 
of  England  to  the  Dey  of  Algiers  was  brought  by 
the  Drogoman  of  the  latter  to  the  late  Colonel 
Lear,  then  Consul  General  of  the  United  States  in 
Barbary,  on  the  pretext  of  obtaining  a  correct 
translation  of  it  into  the  lingua  Franca,  and  the 
following  is  a  copy  of  the  notes  taken  by  him  of 
it  at  the  time.  "  The  Prince  Regent,  in  the  name 
of  his  father,  George  the  Third,  &c.  states,  that 
the  long  continued  illness  of  the  King  has  prevent- 
ed him  from  answering  the  letter  of  the  Dey, 
which  had  been  carried  to  England  by  his  ambas- 
sador, Hadgi  Hassan  ;  expresses  the  strongest 
friendship  for  the  Dey,  founded  on  their  treaties, 
&c.  ;  assures  the  Dey  that  he  will  protect  his 
capital  with  his  fleets,  so  long  as  the  present 
friendship  shall  subsist  between  the  two  nations ; 
declares  that  the  British  fleets  are  masters  of  every 
sea,  and  are  the  terror  of  all  maritime  states,  and 
that  whoever  attempts  to  oppose  them,  will  be 
subdued,  &c.  ;  begs  the  Dey  not  to  permit  those 
who  are  enemies  of  Great  Britain  to  lessen  the 
harmony  now  subsisting  between  the  two  nations, 
and  that  he  will  not  hearken  to  their  evil  sayings ; 
says  that  his  ambassador  will  inform  him  how  well 
he  was  received  and  treated  in  England,  and  that 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

he  sent  by  him  some  of   the  manufactures  of  his 
kingdom,  as  presents,  &c. 

"  Given  at  the  Court  of  Carlton  House,  the  fourth 
of  January,  1812." 

This  extraordinary  document,  which  was  signed 
by  the  Prince  Regent,  and  countersigned  by  Lord 
Liverpool,  and  which,  indeed,  amounts  to  an  obli- 
gation of  defensive  alliance  on  the  part  of  Great 
Britain,  on  the  sole  condition  of  the  Algerines  re- 
specting existing  treaties  with  her,  fully  demon- 
strates the  consideration  in  which  these  barbarians 
were  then  held  at  the  "  Court  of  Carlton  House." 

At  this  period,  the  Algerines  were  at  the  zenith 
of  power  and  consideration  ;  their  favour  was 
courted  by  the  greatest  maritime  states;  they  be- 
lieved that  by  the  capture  of  an  European  frigate, 
single-handed,  they  had  established  their  naval 
prowess  upon  a  solid  basis  ;  their  war  with  Tunis 
had  been  entirely  successful,  in  which  they  had 
also  captured  a  frigate  ;  and  they  had  even  ven- 
tured to  insult  the  dignity  of  the  Grand  Seignior, 
by  capturing  a  number  of  Greek  vessels  under  his 
flag.  At  this  time  they  arrogantly  boasted  of  being 
second  only  to  Great  Britain  as  a  naval  power. 

Under  such  flattering  circumstances,  the  Regen- 
cy decided  on  adopting  the  fatal  policy  of  declar- 
ing war  against  the  United  States,  which,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  has  drawn  upon  them  great- 
er calamities  than  they  ever  before  encountered, 
and  its  effects  will  probably  cease  only  with  the 


120  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

extinction  of  their  independence  as  a  piratical 
power.  The  Regency  adopted  this  measure  on 
the  advice  of  certain  Jews,  who  were  then  in  great 
credit,  and  at  the  head  of  a  commercial  establish- 
ment of  much  importance  here  ;  a  sort  of  jackalls 
to  the  Algerine  lion.  By  them  they  were  inform- 
ed of  the  prodigious  expansion  of  the  maritime 
trade  of  the  United  States,  and  of  the  meekness 
with  which  they  had  borne  the  unprecedented  de- 
predations of  the  belligerents  upon  it.  These 
Hebrews  naturally  enough  concluded  that  Algiers 
might  obtain  the  same  results,  and  probably  an 
immense  sum  for  the  renewal  of  a  treaty  of  peace  ; 
and,  calclulating  upon  the  ordinary  course  of  hu- 
man affairs,  they  ought  not  to  be  taxed  a  priori 
with  gross  error.  They  could  not  foresee  that  at 
the  time  they  gave  such  advice,  the  United  States 
had  actually  declared  war  against  Great  Britain, 
which  must  necessarily  remove  all  their  ships  from 
the  ocean,  and  the  fate  of  the  war  be  determined 
by  events  over  which  Algiers  could  claim  no 
control. 

The  epoch  which  was  selected  by  the  reigning 
Dey  of  Algiers  for  a  declaration  of  war  against  the 
United  States,  gave  to  it  a  character  of  the  most 
deliberate  and  determined  hostility.  On  the  seven- 
teenth of  July  of  the  above  year,  an  American  ship, 
called  the  Alleghany,  arrived  here,  with  the  tribute 
in  military  and  naval  stores  which  was  then  due 
from  the  United  States  to  the  Regency.  This 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  121 

vessel  was  received  with  demonstrations  of  appar- 
ent satisfaction,  and  was  begun  to  be  unloaded, 
when  the  Dey  sent  for  the  invoices  and  bills  of 
lading  of  all  her  cargo.  When  they  were  explain- 
ed to  him,  he  expressed  the  utmost  discontent  at 
not  finding  the  quantity  of  powder,  and  large  ca- 
bles, that  he  pretended  to  have  positively  required, 
and  great  indignation  at  the  same  vessel  having 
been  made  the  means  of  conveyance  of  some  gun- 
barrels  for  Morocco,  that  were  landed  at  Gibraltar, 
and  of  some  small  quantities  of  private  property  ; 
which  he  affected  to  regard  as  personally  disre- 
spectful. 

He  ordered,  in  consequence,  that  the  Consul 
should  pay  in  cash  the  amount  due  from  the  United 
States  to  the  Regency,  and  depart  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  the  same  month,  with  his  family  and  all 
American  citizens  that  might  be  here,  on  pain  of  the 
ship  and  cargo  being  confiscated,  and  himself,  his 
family,  and  his  countrymen  here,  reduced  to  slav- 
ery. The  Consul,  keeping  steadily  in  view  what 
he  regarded  as  the  interests  of  his  country,  made 
all  proper  remonstrances  against  this  arbitrary  pro- 
ceeding, but  in  vain,  and  was  compelled  to  depart 
on  the  day  named.  In  September  following,  a 
small  American  brig,  of  little  value,  with  a  crew  of 
eleven  persons,  was  sent  into  Algiers  as  a  prize  to 
their  cruisers.  This  insignificant  prize  proved  to 
be  the  only  advantage  that  they  ever  obtained  from 
a  war  which  they  had  declared  with  so  much  arro- 
16 


122  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

gance,  and,  in  their  opinion,  with  prospects  of  the 
most  brilliant  success.  In  the  following  year,  the 
American  government  made  an  indirect  attempt  to 
ransom  their  captives  in  the  power  of  the  Alge- 
rines,  who  positively  rejected  any  negotiation  on 
the  subject,  alleging  that  they  regarded  their  Amer- 
ican slaves  as  above  any  pecuniary  ransom. 

The  Emperor  Napoleon  had  compelled  the  Bar- 
bary  states  to  respect  the  persons  and  property  of 
the  inhabitants  of  such  parts  of  the  shores  and 
islands  of  the  Mediterranean  as  had  come  under  his 
dominion,  as  has  been  before  noticed  ;  but  on  the 
total  decline  of  his  fortunes,  these  barbarians  again 
began  their  depredations  upon  the  defenceless  states 
of  Italy.  Holland,  on  separating  from  the  French 
empire,  and  joining  the  coalition  for  the  restoration 
of  order,  liberty,  and  legitimate  government  in  Eu- 
rope, drew  upon  herself  a  declaration  of  war  from 
the  same.  Sweden,  also,  having  joined  the  same 
coalition,  for  the  same  objects,  fell  into  a  similar 
predicament;  for  the  Algerines,  making  a  delay  in 
the  arrival  of  her  annual  tribute  the  pretext,  issued 
orders  for  the  capture  of  Swedish  ships,  and  in 
July,  1814,  seven  sail  of  prizes,  under  the  flag  of 
that  nation,  were  sent  into  Algiers.  Four  of  these 
cargoes,  consisting  of  linens,  sugar,  coffee,  salt,  and 
lumber,  to  the  amount  of  nearly  half  a  million  of 
dollars,  were  confiscated.  The  expected  tribute 
ship  having  at  the  same  time  arrived,  under  con- 
vov  of  a  vessel  of  war,  the  Swedes  obtained  the 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  123 

renewal  of  peace,  with  the  restoration  of  their 
ships,  and  a  portion  of  their  cargoes,  which  was 
proved  to  be  bond  fide  Swedish  property,  abandon- 
ing the  rest,  to  the  enormous  amount  above  stated, 
to  the  captors.  During  the  same  cruise,  two  ves- 
sels captured  by  the  Algerines,  were,  by  some  ac- 
cident or  other,  anchored  in  the  bay  of  Gibraltar. 
There  they  were  taken  in  charge  by  the  British 
naval  commander  and  sent  up  to  Algiers,  under 
convoy  of  a  brig  of  war,  where  they  arrived  in  the 
month  of  August  of  the  same  year.  One  of  these 
prizes  was  under  the  British  flag,  and  was  of 
course  liberated  ;  the  other,  a  Spanish  vessel,  was 
confiscated. 

This  year,  1814,  forms,  perhaps,  the  most  re- 
markable period  in  the  history  of  the  civilized 
world.  A  war  of  many  years  duration,  which,  in 
its  progress,  gradually  involved  all  nations,  was 
brought  to  a  close  by  the  dissolution  of  the  most 
colossal  mass  of  power  that  man  ever  contemplated. 
The  peaceful  transatlantic  republic  of  the  United 
States,  which  had  been  impelled  into  the  vortex, 
concluded  an  honourable  peace  with  Great  Britain, 
on  the  twenty-fourth  of  December  of  this  year,  which 
extinguished  the  last  hostile  spark  throughout  Chris- 
tendom, This  contemptible  nest  of  banditti  alone 
dared  to  interrupt  the  general  repose  of  mankind. 
In  the  latter  part  of  this  year,  the  representative^ 
of  all  the  civilized  states  of  Europe  assembled 
in  Congress  at  Vienna  ;  where  it  was  confidently 


124  SKETCHES  OF   ALGIERS. 

asserted,  that  the  independence  and  happiness  of 
all  nations  were  to  be  secured  and  mutually  guar- 
antied upon  the  broad  and  solid  basis  of  justice  and 
equity.  Standing  committees  were  appointed  to 
discuss  and  report  upon  all  the  great  questions  of 
interest  to  Europe,  and  the  Congress  continued  its 
sessions  until  late  in  the  succeeding  year,  when  it 
was  interrupted  by  another  great  event. 

How  far  the  labours  of  this  illustrious  assembly 
justified  the  fond  expectations  of  its  friends,  it  is 
not  my  business  to  investigate  ;  but  as  questions 
were  agitated  there  of  so  general  a  character  as  the 
universal  suppression  of  the  African  slave-trade, 
and  strenuously  supported  by  all  the  weight  and 
credit  of  a  great  maritime  power,  upon  principles 
of  abstract  humanity,  religion,  and  philanthropy, 
it  was  no  more  than  reasonable  to  expect  that  the 
anti-social  pretensions  of  these  barbarians,  who 
then  held  above  two  thousand  European  captives  in 
slavery  here,  would  be  inquired  into,  and  measures 
be  taken  to  suppress  entirely  their  piratical  prac- 
tices, so  vexatious,  and  so  dishonourable  to  civili- 
zation. Great  Britain,  who  justly  held  a  prepon- 
derating influence  in  this  assembly,  appears  to  have 
exerted  it  entirely  upon  the  question  of  the  African 
slave-trade,  in  which  she  was  opposed,  upon  the 
ground  of  interest  and  of  right,  by  France,  Spain, 
and  Portugal.  The  suppression  of  the  indepen- 
dence of  Italy,  of  Poland,  of  Venice,  of  Genoa, 
and  even  the  partition  of  the  ancient  and  respecta- 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  125 

blc  state  of  Saxony,  in  favour  of  her  rapacious 
allies,  appear  to  have  been  feebly  opposed  by  her  ; 
while  she  turned  an  ear  utterly  deaf  to  every  pro- 
position respecting  the  Barbary  pirates.  Her 
principal  minister  there,  when  subsequently  ques- 
tioned in  parliament  on  this  subject,  alleged  the 
treaties  subsisting  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
states  of  Barbary  as  an  excuse.  The  historian  of 
the  Congress  of  Vienna  does  not  hesitate  to  tax 
the  conduct  of  the  British  Ministers  there  as  self- 
ish, interested,  and  oppressive.*  But  an  event 
was  preparing,  of  a  nature  to  defeat  the  views  of 
this  power  in  favour  of  the  Barbary  pirates,  and  to 
render  any  further  serious  support  of  them  unavail- 
ing. Immediately  after  the  ratification  of  the 
treaty  of  Ghent,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
then  in  session,  spurning  the  idea  of  any  longer 
paying  tribute  to  the  Algerines,  declared  war 
against  them,  and  made  the  appropriations  neces- 
sary to  send  into  the  Mediterranean  a  sufficient 
naval  force  to  either  compel  the  Regency  to  con- 
clude peace,  or  to  protect  their  trade  from  Algerine 
depredation.  On  this  occasion  I  was  appointed  by 
the  President  a  commissioner  to  treat  of  peace 
with  Algiers,  conjointly  with  Captains  Bainbridge 
and  Decatur,  commanders  of  the  naval  forces  des- 
tined for  this  object.  I  sailed  from  New  York 
with  the  latter,  who  commanded  the  first  division 


C. 


126  SKETCHES    OP  ALGIERS. 

ordered  upon  this  service,  consisting  of  three  frig- 
ates, a  sloop,  a  brig,  and  three  schooners,  in  May, 
1815.  We  arrived  early  in  June  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, and  on  the  sixteenth  of  the  same  month  we 
fell  in  with  and  captured,  off  Cape  de  Gatte,  an 
Algerine  frigate  ;  two  days  afterwards  we  met  with 
and  captured  a  large  brig,  and  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  the  same  month  of  June,  we  appeared  off 
Algiers,  and,  agreeably  to  our  instructions,  pro- 
pounded to  the  Regency  the  terms  on  which  they 
might  renew  peace  with  the  United  States.  The 
Algerines  appeared  to  be  completely  confounded  by 
these  events,  and  having  all  their  cruisers  abroad, 
they  agreed  to  the  terms  of  peace  which  we  dicta- 
ted, almost  without  discussion.  The  treaty  was 
signed  on  the  thirtieth  of  June,  and  on  the  evening  of 
that  day,  I  landed  in  Algiers  as  Consul  General  of 
the  United  States,  to  which  post  I  had  also  been 
appointed  by  the  President  in  the  event  of  our  con- 
cluding peace. 

These  events  so  rapidly  succeeded  each  other, 
that  I  could  hardly  realize  them  ;  that  the  far  fam- 
ed Regency  of  Algiers  should  yield  entirely  on  the 
first  thrust  of  the  lance,  appeared  to  me  incompre- 
hensible ;  but  a  slight  investigation  discovered 
them  to  be  a  ridiculous  phantom,  and  led  me  to 
regret  that  our  instructions  did  not  justify  our  in- 
flicting upon  them  a  more  exemplary  chastise- 
ment.* After  my  installation  here  as  Consul 


*  Appendix,  D. 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  127 

General  upon  a  footing  of  peace,  and  despatching 
to  the  government  a  copy  of  the  treaty  for  ratifi- 
cation, by  the  United  States  brig  1'Kpervier,  the 
commission  was  dissolved.  Commodore  Decatur 
now  proceeded  with  the  squadron  to  Tunis  and 
Tripoli,  where  he  compelled  those  governments  to 
refund  the  full  value  of  several  prizes  sent  in  there 
during  the  late  war  by  an  American  cruiser,  and 
which  had  been  seized  in  those  ports  by  some 
British  vessels  of  war,  contrary  to  the  laws  of  na- 
tions, and  the  faith  of  treaties  subsisting  between 
the  United  States  and  those  Regencies  ;  thus 
giving  a  practical  lesson  to  the  Barbary  powers, 
that  has  made  a  deeper  impression  than  any  other 
they  have  ever  received  since  their  infamous  exist- 
ence. 

At  this  period,  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  who  had 
realized  the  fable  of  Antaeus,  met  in  renovated 
strength  the  confederate  arms  of  Europe,  on  the 
field  of  Waterloo,  and  was  a  second  time  over- 
thrown ;  when  the  victorious  sovereigns  of  Europe 
again  convened,  either  in  person,  or  by  their  repre- 
sentatives, at  Paris,  to  deliberate  on  the  destinies 
of  human  kind.  Here  they  received  the  news  of 
the  chastisement  of  the  Algerines  by  the  American 
squadron,  and  of  the  peace  concluded  in  conse- 
quence between  the  United  States  and  the  Regen- 
cy of  Algiers.  This  event  would,  in  ordinary 
times,  be  too  unimportant  to  excite  much  interest, 
except  with  the  parties  concerned  ;  but  as  Great 


128  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

Britain  continued  to  press,  with  all  her  mighty  in- 
fluence, her  favrourite  question  of  the  abolition  of 
the  slave-trade,  the  Algerines  were  shown  by  it  in 
so  contemptible  a  light,  that  her  refusal  to  concur 
in  measures  for  relief  against  their  depreciations, 
must  appear  exceedingly  ungracious  ;  and  from 
this  period,  the  British  government  appear  to  have 
partially  changed  their  policy  towards  the  states  of 
Barbary,  as  will  appear  evident  in  the  sequel. 

About  the  middle  of  July  of  this  year,  a  Dutch 
squadron,  commanded  by  a  rear  admiral,  consisting 
of  four  frigates,  a  sloop,  and  a  brig,  appeared  off 
Algiers,  and  through  the  medium  of  the  British 
Consul,  offered  to  renew  their  former  tributary 
treaty  with  the  Regency  ;  but  the  propositions  of 
the  Dutch  admiral  were  refused,  unless  he  would 
agree  to  pay  the  arrearages  of  tribute,  presents, 
&c.  amounting  to  a  very  large  sum.  This  not 
being  agreed  to,  the  negotiation  failed. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  year,  and  the  subse- 
quent winter,  the  visits  of  British  vessels  of  war  to 
the  bay  of  Algiers,  rapidly  succeeded  each  other, 
and  appeared  to  be  the  precursors  of  some  extraor- 
dinary measures  then  in  agitation.  In  the  mean 
time,  I  was  repeatedly  informed,  on  such  authority 
as  I  cannot  doubt,  that  the  Regency  had  adopted 
the  belief  that  the  demonstration  of  power  made  in 
the  Mediterranean  by  the  United  States,  was  a 
mere  gasconade,  that  could  not  be  supported  ;  and 
that  by  firmness  on  the  part  of  Algiers,  the  Ameri- 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  129 

cans  might  again  be  compelled  to  pay  tribute  to 
screen  a  trade  from  depredation,  which  they  were 
unable  to  protect.  It  must  also  be  confessed  that 
the  deranged  state  of  the  finances  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  consequent  depression  of  their  credit 
in  Europe,  at  the  period  in  question,  of  which  the 
Algerines  were  well  informed,  were  facts  very 
likely  to  give  currency  to  such  an  opinion. 

In  April,  1816,  the  British  commander  in  the 
Mediterranean,  Admiral  Lord  Exmouth,  arrived  in 
the  bay  of  Algiers  with  a  fleet  of  twenty-five  sail 
of  vessels,  of  which  six  were  of  the  line  ;  and  un- 
der these  imposing  appearances  of  coercion,  he 
propounded  to  the  Regency  terms  of  peace  with 
the  kingdoms  of  Sardinia  and  Naples  ;  which,  af- 
ter a  very  slight  discussion  were  agreed  to  on  the 
following  conditions.  The  king  of  Sardinia  en- 
gaged to  pay  five  hundred  dollars  for  each  of  his 
subjects  held  in  slavery  here  ;  to  return  all  Algerine 
captives  in  his  possession  free  of  ransom  ;  to  pay  a 
Consular  present  not  exceeding  five  thousand 
pounds  sterling  in  value  ;  and  to  be  placed  in  all 
other  respects  upon  the  same  footing  as  Great  Bri- 
tain herself.  The  king  of  Naples  engaged  to  pay 
to  Algiers  one  thousand  dollars  for  each  of  his  sub- 
jects held  in  slavery  here  ;  to  pay  the  customary 
Consular  and  biennial  presents,  and  annual  tribute 
upon  the  same  footing  as  Portugal  does  ;  the  slaves 
to  be  liberated  on  payment  of  their  ransom,  in 
three  equal  divisions  in  the  course  of  two  years,  of 
17 


130  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

which  the  first  division  immediately,  on  a  guar- 
anty for  the  amount  of  their  ransom  by  the  Bri- 
tish negotiator.  These  treaties  of  peace  were  re- 
ciprocally guarantied  by  the  mediating  power,  A 
remarkable  fact,  which  merits  the  notice  of  history, 
is,  that  on  this  occasion,  thirty-three  persons,  na- 
tives or  denizens  of  Gibraltar  and  Malta,  were 
liberated  from  slavery  here  without  ransom,  as 
British  subjects  ! 

This  treaty  in  favour  of  Sardinia  was  unques- 
tionably a  more  liberal  one  than,  on  general  princi- 
ples, she  had  any  right  to  expect,  and  would  en- 
title Great  Britain  not  only  to  the  gratitude  of  that 
power,  but  to  the  applause  of  the  world,  if  it  were 
not  known,  that  it  was  the  price  of  the  indepen- 
dence of  the  ancient  republic  of  Genoa,  which  was 
sacrificed  by  her,  contrary  to  her  faith  publicly 
pledged  to  maintain  it.*  The  same  cannot  be  said 
of  the  treaty  concluded  at  the  same  time  for  Na- 
ples, which  was  not  even  a  service  rendered  ;  for 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  on  the  payment  of  the 
enormous  sum  here  stipulated  as  ransom  for  her 


*In  the  year  1814,  Genoa  was  invested,  by  sea  and  land,  by  the 
British  forces  under  the  orders  of  Lord  William  Bentinck.  The 
French  Governor  evacuated  Genoa  by  capitulation,  and  on  the  twen- 
ty-sixth of  April  of  that  year,  his  Lordship,  the  British  Commander 
in  Chief,  published  a  proclamation,  pledging  the  faith  of  the  British 
nation  for  the  restoration  of  the  institutions  and  independence  of  that 
ancient  republic.  It  is  true  that  at  the  Congress  of  Vienna,  the 
British  Ministers  made  the  same  plea  in  this  case,  as  did  the  Roman 
Senate  of  old  in  that  of  the  capitulation  of  the  Caudine  Forks, 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  131 

captives  (much  above  a  million  of  dollars),  Naples 
mii»-ht  have  obtained  terms  of  peace  at  least  equal 
to  these,  without  incurring  the  appearance  of  obli- 
gation to  a  third  power.  In  every  view  that  can 
be  taken  of  this  part  of  the  negotiations,  it  appears 
not  very  consistent  with  the  character  which  Great 
Britain  claims,  and  in  many  respects  is  justly  en- 
titled to;  for  it  sanctions  the  insolent  pretensions  of 
these  barbarians,  and  assures  to  them  a  premium 
for  their  depredations  upon  the  civilized  world. 

Immediately  after  the  departure  of  the  British 
fleet,  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  who  had  evidently  yield- 
ed to  hostile  suggestions  against  the  United  States, 
availing  himself  of  an  unavoidable  delay  in  restor- 
ing a  brig  which  had  been  captured  by  Commodore 
Decatur's  squadron,  previously  to  the  peace,  and 
sent  into  Carthagena,  where  she  was  detained  by 
the  Spanish  government,  on  the  pretext  of  her 
having  been  captured  within  the  jurisdiction  of 
Spain,  declared  the  treaty  of  June  of  the  preceding 
year  to  be  violated  by  the  United  States,  and  null  and 
void  in  consequence.  I  retired  on  board  of  the 
American  squadron  then  in  the  bay  of  Algiers,  and 
there  concluded  a  verbal  convention  with  the  Al- 
gerine  government,  by  which  the  questions  in  dis- 
pute were  referred  by  the  Dey  himself,  in  a  sealed 
letter  to  the  President,  and  the  treaty  was  to  remain 
in  force  until  his  reply  was  received.  In  virtue  of 
this  convention,  I  returned  again  to  my  post.* 

*  Appendix,  E. 


132  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

In  the  succeeding  month  of  May,  the  British 
commander  returned  from  Tunis  with  his  whole 
force,  into  this  bay,  in  consequence,  probably  of 
fresh  instructions.  The  exact  tenor  of  the  propo- 
sitions which  he  then  made  to  this  government 
cannot  be  known,  but  it  appears  that  they  contain- 
ed conditions  subversive  of  those  which  had  been 
solemnly  stipulated  one  month  before.  Such 
versatile  and  undignified  conduct,  might  have  as- 
tonished and  confounded  a  more  enlightened  cabi- 
net than  that  of  Algiers.  The  Bashaw  acted  on 
this  occasion  with  great  firmness,  prudence,  and 
discretion  ;  he  submitted  the  demands  made  upon 
him,  not  only  to  the  Divan,  which  was  assembled 
on  this  occasion,  but  also  to  the  soldiers  in  the  bar- 
racks, who  unanimously  agreed  to  support  him. 
He  then  replied  to  the  British  Admiral,  that  the 
Regency  of  Algiers,  being  a  dependency  of  the 
Ottoman  Empire,  he  could  not  agree  to  his  propo- 
sitions before  consulting  his  Suzerain,  the  Grand 
Seignior,  and  required  six  months  as  the  time  ne- 
cessary to  make  the  reference. 

Lord  Exmouth  threatened  the  immediate  de- 
struction of  Algiers,  if  he  persisted  in  this  refusal 
to  comply  with  his  demands,  and  gave  him  the 
term  of  three  hours  to  deliberate  upon  a  definitive 
reply.  The  Bashaw  then  reproached  the  Admiral 
with  the  inconsistency  of  his  conduct,  which  pre- 
cluded any  reliance  upon  whatever  engagements  he 
might  make  with  him  ;  rejected  his  propositions  : 


SKLTCHKS    OF    ALGIERS.  133 

and  required  him  to  withdraw  his  ships  from  under 
the  guns  of  his  batteries.  Lord  Exmouth  now 
rrfhvd  on  board,  from  whence  he  again  gave  no- 
tice of  his  intention  to  attack  the  place.  On  his 
way  down  to  the  marine,  he,  with  several  of  his 
officers,  were  insulted  in  the  most  gross  and  inde- 
cent manner.  The  British  Consul  was  arrested 
and  confined  to  his  house,  and  his  wife  and  child- 
ren driven  into  town  from  his  country  residence, 
in  a  manner  the  most  scandalous  and  insulting. 

The  Dey  of  Algiers  appears  to  have  regarded  a 
war  with  England  as  actually  begun ;  and  amongst 
other  measures  of  safety  consequent  to  the  threats 
of  the  British  admiral,  the  execution  of  which,  to 
every  resident  here,  certainly  appeared  imminent, 
he  despatched  messengers  to  Bona  and  Oran,  with 
orders  to  the  Governors  of  those  places  to  arrest 
and  secure  the  persons  of  all  British  subjects,  or 
others  under  the  British  protection  there.  These 
orders  were  executed  with  rigorous  precision  in 
Bona,  where  was  a  great  number  of  Italians  and 
Corsicans,  engaged  in  the  coral  fishery,  under 
British  license  and  protection,  many  of  whom,  in 
consequence  of  their  resistance,  or  efforts  to  escape, 
were  massacred.  These  people  were  accused  of 
resisting  an  order  of  the  Algerine  government  to 
arrest  and  secure  their  persons,  surely  a  competent 
authority  to  issue  such  an  order ;  they  were  con- 
sequently reduced  by  force  of  arms,  as  they  would 
have  been  in  any  other  country,  under  similar  ch> 


134  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

cumstances.  But  it  must  be  inquired  why  the 
British  admiral  did  not  on  his  way  from  Tunis  with 
a  powerful  squadron,  on  a  mission  to  Algiers  of  this 
character,  detach  a  sufficient  force  for  the  contin- 
gent protection  of  these  fishermen,  or  at  least,  why 
he  did  not  warn  them  of  the  danger  in  which  they 
might  be  involved,  in  consequence  of  his  opera- 
tions. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  affairs  in  dispute  here 
were  provisionally  settled  without  hostilities  ;  the 
British  admiral  agreeing  to  allow  the  time  necessa- 
ry to  consult  the  Ottoman  government  on  the  points 
in  question.  The  Bashaw  agreed  to  admit  the 
new  kingdom  of  Hanover  to  a  participation  of  the 
advantages  of  the  treaty  subsisting  between  him 
and  Great  Britain,  as  a  dependancy  of  that  em- 
pire, for  which  he  received,  as  is  customary,  a 
valuable  present  ;  the  British  frigate,  the  Tagus, 
was  placed  at  the  disposition  of  his  Highness,  for 
the  purpose  of  transporting  his  Ambassador  and 
presents  to  Constantinople  ;  Lord  Exmouth  ex- 
changed swords  with  him,  and  accepted  from  him 
a  present  of  a  horse  and  other  animals.  Thus 
every  hostile  feeling  on  either  side  appeared  to  be 
appeased. 

To  an  indifferent  spectator,  it  was  a  curious 
spectacle  to  see,  immediately  after  such  hostile 
demonstrations,  the  Ottoman  standard  displayed  on 
board  of  a  British  frigate,  in  consequence  of  hav- 
ing the  honour  to  receive  an  Algerine  Ambassa- 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  135 

dor  on  board  !  The  receipt  in  Europe  of  the  news 
respecting  the  negotiations  of  the  British  Admiral 
in  Algiers,  excited  universal  indignation,  and 
drew  upon  the  British  government  the  imputation 
of  entertaining  views  respecting  the  states  of  Bar- 
bary,  interested,  and  oppressive  to  other  nations. 
It  is  however,  nothing  more  than  common  justice 
to  suppose  that  the  objects  which  the  British  gov- 
ernment had  in  view  were  not  attained  through 
these  negotiations  ;  and  as  the  national  honour  had 
obviously  been  committed  here,  another  and  more 
efficient  expedition  became  necessary,  as  a 
natural  consequence  of  the  failure  of  the  first.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  powerful  squadron  was  immediately 
ordered  to  be  equipped  at  Portsmouth,  which  sailed 
for  the  Mediterranean  in  July,  was  reinforced  in 
Gibraltar  by  a  number  of  gun-boats,  and  by  six 
Dutch  frigates,  under  the  orders  of  Vice-Admiral 
the  Baron  Vander  Capellen.  The  combined  fleets 
sailed  from  Gibraltar  on  the  fourteenth  of  August, 
under  the  command  of  the  same  British  Admiral, 
Lord  Exmouth,  and  arrived  before  Algiers  on  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  the  same  month. 
Notice  of  this  expedition  had  been  received  here 
in  July,  through  the  French  papers,  and  rendered 
partially  abortive  the  mission  of  a  British  sloop 
of  war  that  was  sent  to  withdraw  the  British 
Consul  and  his  family  from  the  danger  to  which 
they  must  inevitably  be  exposed  in  the  event  of  a 
battle.  The  ladies  of  his  familv,  however,  had 


136  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

the  good  fortune  to  elude  the  vigilance  of  the  Ai- 
gerines  under  the  disguise  of  midshipmen,  and  es- 
cape on  board  with  an  infant  child ;  on  the  discov- 
ery of  which,  the  Consul,  and  the  officers  and 
crews  of  two  boats  of  the  sloop,  then  on  shore, 
were  arrested  and  closely  confined,  the  former  in 
his  own  house  under  a  guard,  and  the  latter  in  a 
Bagnio.  The  British  Admiral  on  arriving  before 
Algiers,  sent  in  a  flag  with  the  ultimatum  of  his 
government,  to  which  he  required  a  reply  within  a 
limited  time.  The  Bashaw  appears  to  have  acted 
on  this  occasion  with  a  degree  of  indecision  unbe- 
coming his  character,  for  he  not  only  suffered  the 
flag  to  depart  without  an  answer,  but  he  subse- 
quently permitted  the  combined  fleets  to  take 
their  positions  of  attack  without  any  molestation.* 
Physical  intrepidity,  ignorance,  and  presumption 
were  opposed  to  discipline,  valour,  and  skill ;  the 
result  could  never  be  doubtful.  Algiers,  after  a 
sanguinary  battle  of  nine  hours,  was  laid  prostrate 
at  the  feet  of  the  conqueror,  who  then,  declaring 
that  "  Britain  did  not  make  war  for  the  destruction 
of  cities,"  required,  as  the  price  of  peace,  the  im- 
mediate and  unconditional  surrender  of  all  Chris- 
tian slaves  ;  the  restitution  of  about  three  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  which  had  been  paid  by 
the  kings  of  Naples  and  Sardinia  for  the  ransom  of 
their  captive  subjects  liberated  in  the  preceding  April ; 

*  For  the  details  of  the  battle  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  August,  see 
Appendix,  F. 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  137 

and  the  renunciation  in  future  of  the  right  of  redu- 
cing to  slavery  any  subject  of  a  Christian  European 
power.  These  conditions  were  of  course  promptly 
agreed  to,  and  peace  was  restored  between  Great 
Britain  and  Algiers. 

The  Baron  Vander  Capellen,  Commander  in 
Chief  of  the  Dutch  naval  forces  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, took  an  active  and  conspicuous  part  in  this 
battle,  and  in  consequence,  in  concert  with  the 
British  Admiral,  compelled  the  Regency  of  Algiers 
to  conclude  peace  with  the  United  Netherlands 
upon  a  footing  of  independent  equality.  This  chief 
immediately  afterwards  proceeded  with  his  squad- 
ron to  Tripoli,  where,  with  the  laurels  of  victory 
still  fresh  on  his  brow,  he  also  concluded  a  treaty 
of  peace  with  that  insignificant  government,  by 
which  the  United  Netherlands  agree  to  pay  Tripoli 
an  annual  tribute  of  five  thousand  dollars. 

The  battle  of  Algiers  was  regarded  in  England 
as  a  signal  triumph  of  the  British  arms,  which  gave 
her  a  claim  to  the  gratitude  of  nations.  Titles, 
decorations,  and  pensions,  were  distributed  on  this 
occasion  by  the  Prince  Regent,  with  a  prodigality 
unusual  in  that  country,  except  in  cases  of  a  great 
national  jubilee  ;  and  much  effect  was  undoubtedly 
expected  from  this  achievement  at  the  then  ap- 
proaching Congress  of  Aix-la-Chapelle. 

Of  the  valour,  constancy,  and  skill  exhibited  by 
the  combined  fleets  in  the  battle  of  Algiers,  there 
can  be  no  difference  of  opinion  ;  if  this  were  even 
18 


138  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

their  first  essay  in  war,  it  would  entitle  them  to 
very  high  professional  claims.  But  the  policy  of 
exposing  such  a  gallant  band  to  a  contest  with 
banditti  like  the  Algerines,  entrenched  behind  the 
most  solid  stone  walls,  opposing  batteries  of  three 
tiers  of  cannon  to  their  attack,  for  no  more  impor- 
tant objects  than  are  stated  or  implied  in  the  ulti- 
matum of  the  British  admiral,  may  well  be  ques- 
tioned. Had  the  Algerines  opened  the  fire  of  their 
truly  formidable  batteries  upon  their  enemy's  ships, 
as  soon  as  they  came  within  reach,  it  is  probable 
that  they  would  have  been  so  crippled  in  their  ap- 
proach, as  to  be  unable  to  take  the  positions  of 
attack  which  they  arrived  at  without  molestation; 
turning  and  rendering  useless  the  principal  Algerine 
batteries,  and  the  British  fleet  have  suffered  the 
mortifying  affront  of  being  foiled  and  beaten  by 
Algerines.  The  suppression  of  this  community  of 
pirates  evidently  formed  no  part  of  the  plan  of  the 
British  government  on  this  occasion,  for  though 
the  kind  of  force  employed  was  not  well  calculated 
for  conquest,  yet  Algiers  was  completely  subdued  ; 
and  I  have  foundation  for  saying,  that  if  the  attack 
had  been  renewed  the  next  day,  the  city  would  have 
been  evacuated  by  the  Turks,  and  might  have  been 
occupied  by  the  marines  of  the  squadron.  That 
so  signal  a  chastisement,  attended  with  immense 
loss,  the  liberation  of  all  Christian  slaves,  and  the 
compelled  obligation  to  make  no  more,  were  gene- 
rally useful  to  the  civilized  world,  is  undeniable  ; 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  139 

but  it  is  a  fact  that  they  did  not  go  the  length  of 
engaging  the  Algerines  to  change  their  policy  ;  they 
still  remain  a  nest  of  banditti,  waiting  only  for  a 
favourable  occasion  to  be  as  mischievous  as  ever. 

Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  this  peace, 
the  Algerine  government  turned  all  their  attention 
towards  repairing  their  losses  ;  they  despatched  a 
minister  to  Constantinople  ;  with  the  most  ac- 
tive industry,  they  repaired  the  damage  sustained 
by  their  fortifications  ;  and  by  the  end  of  the  year 
replaced  them  in  as  perfect  a  state  of  defence  as 
they  were  in  previously  to  the  battle. 

Meantime  the  President,  on  receipt  of  the  Ba- 
shaw's letter  written  in  April  of  this  year,  appoint- 
ed me,  conjointly  with  Isaac  Chauncey,  Esq. 
commander  in  chief  of  the  naval  forces  of  the 
United  States  in  the  Mediterranean,  Commissioners 
to  treat  of  the  renewal  of  peace  with  Algiers.  It 
is  evident  that  after  the  events  above  related,  the 
adjustment  of  the  difficulties  in  question  could  meet 
with  no  important  obstacle  ;  accordingly,  a  treaty 
dictated  by  us  was  signed  here  on  the  twenty- 
third  of  December  following.* 

In  September,  of  the  year  1817,  one  of  those 
violent  revolutions  so  common  in  this  barbarous 
country,  deprived  Omar  Pashaw  of  his  life,  and 
placed  upon  the  throne  of  Algiers  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Ali  Khodgia.  As  Omar  was  one  of  the 

*  Appendix,  G. 


140  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

most  remarkable  personages  that  have  swayed  the 
precarious  sceptre  of  Algiers  in  latter  times,  1  have 
thought  that  a  short  sketch  of  his  life  might  be 
acceptable. 

After  what  has  already  been  said,  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  remark  that,  according  to  the  funda- 
mental institutions  of  Algiers,  none  but  foreigners 
are  eligible  to  any  of  the  high  offices  of  state.  The 
corps  of  Turks,  which  comprehends  foreigners  of 
all  nations  who  come  to  Algiers  as  Janissaries,  and 
from  which  officers  are  selected,  is  kept  in  exist- 
ence by  continual  importations  from  the  Levant, 
and  these,  as  before  mentioned,  are  generally  of  the 
lowest  orders  of  men  in  those  barbarous  countries. 
On  arriving  in  Algiers  they  are  enrolled  as  common 
soldiers,  and  depend  on  their  own  merit  or  accident 
for  promotion.  The  incidents  in  the  life  of  an  ob- 
scure adventurer  wrould  probably  afford  little  of 
interest  if  they  could  be  known  ;  but  when  genius 
extricates  itself  from  a  chaos  of  ignorance  and  ob- 
scurity, and  appears  with  advantage  upon  the  great 
theatre  of  human  affairs,  the  individual  possessing 
it  becomes  worthy  of  notice  and  of  inquiry  into  his 
character  and  actions. 

Such  appears  to  be  the  case  of  the  late  Omar 
Pashaw.  He  was  born  in  the  classical  island  of 
Metelin,  the  ancient  Lesbos,  and  at  his  accession 
to  supreme  power  in  Algiers  in  1814,  was  about 
forty-three  years  of  age.  It  is  said  that  his  family 
are  renegade  Greeks.  In  stature  he  was  about 


SKETCHES   OP   ALGIERS.  141 

five  feet  ten  or  eleven  inches,  robust,  active,  and 
well  made  ;  his  complexion  was  dark,  with  a  thick, 
shining  black  beard  silvered  with  grey  ;  his  feat- 
ures were  manly  and  regular,  and  he  had  fine  ex- 
pressive black  eyes,  which  however  seemed  to  meet 
those  of  any  other  person  with  reluctance,  and  only 
by  furtive  glances,  even  in  conversation.  His  coun- 
tenance was  thoughtful ;  when  in  good  humour,  he 
was  agreeable  and  prepossessing  ;  when  displeased, 
dark,  gloomy,  and  forbidding.  His  manner  was  al- 
ways dignified,  sometimes  cordial  and  friendly,  and 
he  was  never  known  to  lose  the  equilibrium  of  his 
temper  on  any  occasion.  He  spoke  with  hesitation 
and  embarrassment ;  it  would  seem  that  his  pride 
did  not  hide  from  him  the  view  of  his  igno- 
rance. 

Omar  was  a  man  of  strong  natural  good  sense, 
quick  perception,  and  great  dignity  of  character. 
When  he  projected  writing  a  letter  to  the  President 
he  enquired  of  me  if  the  Turkish  language  was  un- 
derstood in  America  ?  I  replied  that  it  probably 
was  not,  but  that  there  were  persons  there  who 
understood  the  Arabic.  He  remarked  that  it  did 
not  become  him  to  write  in  any  language  except  his 
own,  but  that  he  would  cause  an  Arabic  transla- 
tion to  be  made  of  his  letter  in  order  to  facilitate 
its  comprehension  to  the  American  government. 
His  intrepid  courage  had  early  in  his  career  acquir- 
ed for  him  the  distinctive  appellation  of  "  the  ter- 
rible Omar,"  but  in  private  life  he  is  said  to  have 


142  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

been  of  exemplary  moderation,  and  strict  morals, 
according  to  the  rules  of  the  faith  which  he  pro- 
fessed. He  had  but  one  wife,  by  whom  he  had 
three  children,  and  with  these  he  passed  his  leisure 
time  in  great  apparent  domestic  happiness.  After 
the  business  of  the  day  was  over,  it  was  no  uncom- 
mon thing  to  see  the  Bashaw  retiring  to  his  own  pri- 
vate dwelling,  attended  by  a  single  servant  carrying 
a  lantern  before  him.  After  he  rose  to  sovereign 
power  he  was  noted  for  several  acts  of  friendship 
and  gratitude,  and  I  have  not  heard  him  accused 
of  an  instance  of  private  injustice. 

Omar  came  to  Algiers  about  thirty-three  years 
since  in  company  with  an  elder  brother,  as  com- 
mon adventurers.  His  brother  appears  to  have 
been  a  man  of  merit,  as  he  early  obtained  the  post 
of  Kalifa,  or  intendant,  of  the  eastern  province.  As 
Omar  always  accompanied  his  brother,  he  early 
acquired  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  internal  af- 
fairs of  the  kingdom  ;  and  the  war  with  Tunis,  and 
the  troubles  and  insurrections  with  which  Algiers 
was  at  that  time  agitated,  gave  him  opportunities 
of  establishing  his  character  as  a  brave  and  intelli- 
gent warrior.  About  twenty-four  years  ago  his 
brother  became  suspected,  and  was  put  to  death  by 
order  of  Achmet  Pashaw ;  Omar  escaped  the  same 
fate  by  taking  refuge  in  the  barracks,  where  he 
was  protected  by  the  soldiers,  with  whom  he  ap- 
pears to  have  been  always  a  favorite.  Achmet 
perished  shortly  after,  and  was  succeded  by  Ali, 


SKETCHES     OF    ALGIERS.  143 

who  after  a  short  reign  of  a  few  months  gave  place 
to  Hadji  Ali  Pashaw,  who  by  his  sanguinary  cru- 
elties, acquired  the  surname  of  Tiger,  and  is  also 
noted  for  his  declaration  of  war  against  the  United 
States.  This  chief  raised  Omar  to  the  important 
post  of  Aga,  or  commander  in  chief.  In  this  ca- 
pacity he  distinguished  himself  by  the  vigour  of  his 
administration,  and  particularly  by  his  successful 
energy  in  quelling  a  rebellion  of  the  Bey  of  Oran, 
which  threatened  the  political  existence  of  Algiers. 
While  acting  in  this  quality  he  is  accused  of  great 
and  unnecessary  acts  of  cruelt}%  particularly  in  the 
latter  case.  The  accusation  is  probably  not  unfound- 
ed, but  I  should  rather  suppose  these  acts  a  neces- 
sary effect  of  the  barbarous  manners  and  character 
of  this  people,  than  of  a  ferocious  propensity  in  the 
Aga,  Even  the  modern  history  of  civilized  nations 
furnishes  as  many  instances  of  violence  and  cruelty, 
as  of  moderation  and  justice. 

But  there  are  some  circumstances  relative  to  the 
elevation  of  Omar,  which  do  not  appear  to  admit 
of  the  same  excuse,  and  which  chill  the  blood 
with  horror.  While  he  was  absent  with  the  army 
in  the  interior,  the  tyrant  Hadji  Ali  was  murder- 
ed, his  capricious  cruelties  having  become  insup- 
portable. An  express  was  sent  to  the  Aga  with 
this  intelligence,  who  immediately  returned  to  the 
capital,  and  was  offered  the  purple  by  unanimous 
consent,  which  he  could  then  have  accepted 
without  a  crime.  For  some  reasons  which  are  tin- 


144  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

known  to  the  public,  he  refused  the  precarious 
honour,  and  insisted  on  investing  the  then  Hasna- 
gee,  or  prime  minister,  with  the  sovereign  authori- 
ty. Little  is  at  this  day  known  of  this  personage, 
except  that  he  was  a  moderate,  just  man,  and  far 
advanced  in  years.  He  also  refused  the  danger- 
ous post,  until  he  was  informed  that  he  must  either 
reign  or  perish.  Fourteen  days  afterwards,  this 
old  man  was  murdered  without  any  apparent  rea- 
son for  it,  and  the  Aga  seated  upon  the  throne. 
Hadji  Ali  Pashaw,  though  a  decrepid  old  man,  kept 
a  numerous  seraglio  ;  these  women  were  respected 
during  the  ephemeral  reign  of  his  immediate  suc- 
cessor ;  by  order  of  Omar  on  his  accession,  they 
were  all  put  to  death  !  It  is  difficult  to  assign  any 
plausible  excuse  for  such  gratuitous  acts  of  barba- 
rous cruelty  ;  though  his  subsequent  conduct  was 
blameless,  many  persons  are  yet  in  doubt  as  to  his 
real  character. 

The  folly  and  presumption  of  Hadji  Ali,  had  in- 
volved Algiers  in  open  war  with  the  United  States, 
and  with  Holland ;  the  Ottoman  flag  had  been  in- 
sulted, and  the  relations  of  France  and  Spain  with 
the  Regency  rendered  doubtful  ;  the  part  therefore, 
which  Omar  had  to  act  on  his  accession,  was  a  very 
difficult  and  delicate  one.  What  remains  to  be 
said  of  this  remarkable  personage,  relates  princi- 
pally to  the  political  epochs  of  his  reign  which 
have  been  noticed  above,  They  rapidly  suc- 
ceeded each  other,  fairly  tested  his  abilities. 


SKETCHES    OF     ALGIERS.  !  T> 

abilities,  and  on  the  whole,  exhibited  him  to  the 
world  in  a  light  not  less  advantageous  than  con- 
spicuous. 

From  the  consideration  in  which  AlgHre  has  ever 
been  held  by  the  maritime  states  of  Europe,  it  is 
not  surprising  that  they  should  attach  a  great  de- 
gree of  importance  to  their  power,  and  believe  that 
all  nations  anxiously  deprecated  their  hostility. 
This  charm  was  dissipated  by  the  capture  of 
two  of  their  ships  by  Commodore  Decatur,  and  his 
subsequent  appearance  off  Algiers  with  his  victori- 
ous squadron,  while  theirs  was  at  sea.  Omar  had 
the  good  sense  to  comprehend  the  danger  of  his 
position,  and,  yielding  to  circumstances,  accepted 
the  terms  of  peace  offered  to  him  by  the  victor.  If 
he  afterwards  equivocated,  and  showed  a  disposi- 
tion to  renew  the  war,  it  ought  rather  to  be  attrib- 
uted to  a  course  of  policy  which  has  been  too  long 
tolerated  to  Algiers,  and  in  which  she  has  always 
found  her  account,  and  to  misrepresentation  of  the 
policy  and  resources  of  the  United  States,  than  to 
absolute  bad  faith  in  the  Bashaw. 

Pursuant  to  negotiations  of  the  leading  powers 
of  Europe,  after  the  peace  of  Paris  in  1815,  Great 
Britain  was  induced  to  make  a  change  in  her  poli- 
cy towards  the  states  of  Barbary,  and  in  conse- 
quence, Admiral  Lord  Exmouth  was  detached  to 
Algiers  with  a  powerful  fleet  in  April,  1816,  as 
above  related.  However  public-spirited  and  lauda- 
ble the  conduct  of  Great  Britain  may  appear  iu  this 
19 


146  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

case  when  viewed  upon  general  principles,  yet 
when  judged  upon  the  ground  of  the  subsisting  r»- 
lations  between  these  two  powers,  it  can  hardly  be 
reconciled'with  the  strict  principles  of  international 
justice  and  good  faith.  Algiers  had  given  no  of- 
fence to  Great  Britain,  nor  had  furnished  any  pre- 
text for  hostilities  against  her.  The  massacre  of  Bo- 
na  was  subsequently  alleged  as  an  outrage  justify- 
ing war  ;  but  when  viewed  with  candour  it  will 
surely  be  found  deficient  in  this  character,  for  it 
was  an  accident  arising  out  of  the  exercise  of  a 
right  inherent  in  all  governments  ;  it  resembled  al- 
most exactly  an  event  that  occurred  in  the  previous 
year,  in  the  Dartmoor  depot  of  prisoners  of  war  in 
England.  Algiers  was  called  upon  to  give  up  the 
very  principles  upon  which  she  had  established  her 
political  credit  and  importance,  with  the  consent  of 
the  world  during  a  succession  of  ages;  which  con- 
sequently placed  Omar  in  a  position  of  great  diffi- 
culty and  responsibility.  The  circumstances  of 
these  negotiations,  and  the  results  of  the  war 
consequent  to  them,  have  been  narrated  above. 
The  arrest  and  confinement  to  his  house,  under  a 
guard,  of  the  British  Consul,  under  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  are  excusable  as  a  neces- 
sary measure  of  safety,  without  recurring  for  pre- 
cedents to  the  usages  of  the  Ottoman  Porte  ;  but 
his  subsequent  confinement  in  a  dungeon,  loaded 
with  the  heaviest  chains,  would  accuse  the  Bashaw 
of  vindictive  ferocity  of  character,  if  it  could  not 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.          147 

be  otherwise  accounted  for.  The  indignation  of 
the  Algerine  populace  had  been  excited  against  the 
British  to  the  highest  pitch  imaginable  ;  during  the 
battle,  many  Turks  (probably  skulkers),  were  con- 
stantly passing  in  and  out  of  my  house,  and  in  their 
conversations  all  breathed  vengeance  against  the 
British  Consul;  the  moment  of  his  removal  and  con- 
finement in  chains  in  the  criminal  prison,  was  that 
when  the  battle  was  obviously  lost,  and  when  an 
attack  upon  him  by  a  furious  populace  might  be 
expected.  He  was  therefore  saved  by  it,  and  I 
have  always  believed  that  this  rigorous  treatment 
was  expressly  ordered  by  the  Bashaw,  as  the  only 
probable  means  of  saving  his  life. 

During  the  battle  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  Au- 
gust, the  conduct  of  Omar  was  that  of  a  brave  and 
judicious  man.  Perhaps  the  only  fault  which  he  can 
be  accused  of  on  that  occasion,  was  that  of  not  firino" 
upon  the  enemy's  ships  before  they  took  their  po- 
sitions, and  this  was  consequent  to  a  resolution  he 
had  indiscreetly  adopted,  not  to  commence  hostili- 
ties. As  he  had  refused  to  reply  to  their  flag,  this 
was  an  inexcusable  and  fatal  error.  He  was  al- 
ways at  the  post  of  danger  ;  he  personally  recom- 
menced the  fire  of  the  marine  batteries,  and  con- 
tinued the  fight  until  any  longer  resistance  was 
vain.  He  yielded  only  to  the  entreaties  of  his  offi- 
cers and  friends,  when  he  accepted  the  terms  offered 
him  by  the  British  Admiral.  The  Chevalier  An- 
karloo,  Consul  General  of  Sweden,  who  was  re- 


I4l>  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

quested  by  Omar  to  go  on  board  of  the  Admiral  as 
a  messenger,  informed  me  that  he  witnessed  this 
scene,  and  that  the  Bashaw  discovered  the  most 
unequivocal  reluctance  to  agree  to  the  terms  pro- 
posed. His  own  opinion,  often  repeated,  was,  that 
they  should  abandon  the  city  and  retire  under  their 
tents.  In  the  subsequent  negotiations  he  maintain- 
ed the  same  calmness  of  temper  for  which  he  was 
ever  so  remarkable,  requesting  of  the  British  nego- 
tiator, that  he  would  inform  him  once  for  all,  of 
the  extent  of  the  claims  which  his  government  had 
upon  him. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  the  man  who  always 
shows  himself  equal  to  the  circumstances  in  which 
fortune  places  him,  cannot  want  capacity.  The 
results  of  the  battle  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  August 
gave  the  Bashaw  an  opportunity  of  demonstrating 
the  firmness  of  his  mind,  and  of  developing  his 
great  abilities  for  business.  The  Algerines  may 
be  styled,  without  injustice,  a  turbulent,  fac- 
tious, and  superstitious  banditti.  Their  fleet  was 
destroyed,  their  military  works  laid  in  ruins,  and 
their  political  existence  seemed  to  be  suspended ; 
they  had  long  entertained  the  opinion  that  their 
chief  was  unfortunate,  an  opinion  which  a  Dey  of 
Algiers  seldom  survives  for  any  length  of  time,  and 
on  this  occasion  they  discovered  the  most  unequi- 
vocal disposition  to  sacrifice  him  to  their  despair. 
Omar,  aware  of  his  danger,  visited  the  barracks 
and  harangued  the  .soldiers.  He  represented  to 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  149 

them  that  though  their  misfortunes  were  great,  they 
were  not  irretrievable  ;  that  they  had  still  great 
resources  remaining,  by  a  prudent  use  of  which, 
with  patience  and  courage,  the  power  of  Algiers 
might  be  restored  upon  even  a  better  footing  than 
before  ;  that  by  disunion  amongst  themselves,  and 
listening  to  violent  counsels,  every  thing  might  be 
lost ;  that  in  short,  if  they  believed  him  to  be  an 
obstacle  to  the  restoration  of  that  power,  he  there 
offered  himself  to  them  as  a  victim.  This  dis- 
course, together  with  a  judicious  distribution  of 
money,  and  the  influence  of  his  friends,  most  effect- 
ually quelled  a  fermentation,  which  if  left  to  itself 
might  have  terminated  in  the  most  violent  excess- 
es. In  the  mean  time  he  caused  workmen  and 
materials  to  be  transported  from  the  remotest  parts 
of  his  dominions  to  the  capital,  and  through  the 
most  indefatigable  perseverance  and  activity,  su- 
perintending every  thing  in  person,  he  actually 
placed  Algiers,  by  the  end  of  the  year,  in  a  better 
state  of  defence  than  it  had  ever  been  in.  At  the 
same  time  he  engaged  a  number  of  Neapolitan 
divers,  and  cleared  the  port  of  all  the  sunken 
wrecks ;  purchased  and  equipped  four  efficient 
cruisers ;  laid  a  sloop  of  war  on  the  stocks  ;  and 
adopted  such  other  measures  as  were  required  for 
ihr  ultimate  restoration  of  the  maritime  credit  of 
Algiers. 

In  the   month  of  October  following  the  battle, 
Commodore  Chauncey  arrived  off  Algiers  with  the 


150  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

Washington,  Java,  United  States,  Constellation, 
Erie,  and  Peacock.  In  the  state  they  were  then 
in,  this  force  was  equal  to  the  annihilation  of  their 
defensive  works,  and  the  destruction  of  the  city. 
The  Algerines  were  in  the  utmost  consternation, 
and  when  I  went  off  to  the  squadron,  they  were 
unable  to  conceal  from  me  their  apprehension  of 
being  attacked,  notwithstanding  my  assurances  that 
the  visit  was  a  peaceable  one,  and  that  nothing 
would  ever  be  undertaken  against  them  by  the 
American  forces  without  due  notice  being  pre- 
viously given  by  me.  On  my  return  from  on  board 
of  the  squadron  I  was  received  by  the  Bashaw  at 
the  quarters  of  the  Port  Admiral,  a  very  unusual 
proceeding,  and  indicative  of  great  anxiety.  I  ex- 
pressed to  him  my  mortification  at  such  manifest 
want  of  confidence  in  the  national  honour  as  had 
been  showed,  and  assured  him  that  even  should  the 
disputes  pending  between  the  United  States  and 
his  government,  result  in  hostilities,  they  would  be 
prosecuted  on  our  part  in  the  strictest  concordance 
with  the  rules  of  honourable  warfare.  Omar  ap- 
peared to  feel  the  reproach,  and  alleged  in  excuse 
that  he  could  have  no  certainty  of  the  ships  in  view 
being  American,  and  that  I  had  been  a  witness 
how  far  he  had  been  a  victim  of  false  appearances  ; 
for  the  Algerines  have  always  affected  to  believe 
that  they  were  surprised  by  the  combined  fleets 
under  the  false  pretext  of  a  flag  of  truce.  On  the 
following  day,  Commodore  Chauncey  with  the  com- 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  151 

manders  of  his  squadron,  paid  a  visit  to  His  High- 
ness, who  seemed  to  be  sensible  of  the  attention. 

In  concurrence  with  the  advice  of  Commodore 
Chauncey,  1  embarked  with  him  on  board  the 
Washington,  in  order  to  be  together  on  the  receipt 
of  our  expected  despatches.  On  arriving  at  Gib- 
raltar we  received  by  the  United  States  brig  Spark, 
our  appointment  as  commissioners  to  treat  of  the 
renewal  of  peace  with  Algiers  ;  and,  together  with 
our  instructions,  a  letter  from  the  President  to  the 
Dey  in  reply  to  that  which  he  had  addressed  to 
him  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  April  preceding,  as 
above  stated.  The  Commissioners  who  had  by 
this  time  become  well  acquainted  with  the  Alge- 
rine  character  and  policy,  determined  to  present  a 
note  to  the  Bashaw,  together  with  the  President's 
letter,  which  should  contain  their  ultimatum.* 
Pursuant  to  this  determination,  they  proceeded  off 
Algiers  with  the  Washington  and  Spark,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  eighth  of  December,  the  rest 
of  the  squadron  receiving  orders  to  rendezvous  at 
Port  Mahon.  The  extremely  boisterous  weather 
rendering  it  imprudent  to  anchor  in  the  bay,  it 
was  determined  that  I  should  land  and  pursue  alone, 
on  the  terms  agreed  upon,  the  objects  of  our  mission. 

The  negotiation  was  begun  on  the  seventeenth, 
by  the  delivery  of  the  President's  letter  and  the 
note  of  the  Commissioners  to  the  Bashaw,  in  per- 
son. It  was  conducted  on  the  part  of  Omar  with 

*  Appendix,  G. 


152 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 


great  courtesy,  though  with  the  most  artful  en- 
deavours to  evade  the  conclusion,  or  rather  the  re- 
newal of  a  treaty  of  peace,  which  there  is  the 
strongest  presumptive  evidence  for  believing  that 
he  had  pledged  himself  not  to  do.  He  complained 
of  the  length  of  time  which  the  President  had  tak- 
en to  reply  to  his  letter,  and  calculating  it  exactly 
on  his  fingers,  claimed  the  same  indulgence.  He 
appealed  to  my  personal  feelings  by  quoting  me  as 
a  witness  to  his  recent  misfortunes,  which  had 
placed  him  in  our  power,  and  affirmed,  that  as  an 
honourable  man  I  ought  not  to  avail  myself  of  such 
fortuitous  circumstances.  Waving  the  discussion 
of  such  delicate  points,  I  replied  that  whatever 
might  be  my  desire  to  do  what  would  be  agreeable 
to  His  Highness,  I  was  acting  with  my  colleague  un- 
der instructions  from  the  President,  which  were  not 
framed  with  a  knowledge  of  his  misfortunes,  as  a 
reference  to  their  dates  would  prove,  and  that  I 
could  not  transgress  them  without  incurring  the 
penalties  of  disobedience. 

Finding  me  inflexible,  or  rather  feeling  that  the 
conditions  of  peace  which  we  required,  could  not 
be  evaded,  he  assumed  an  air  of  cheerful  good  hu- 
mour, and  told  me  that,  as  misfortune  had  deprived 
him  of  the  means  of  resistance,  he  would  agree  to 
the  terms  proposed,  or  to  any  others  that  I  might 
see  fit  to  dictate,  provided  that  I  would  give  him  a 
certificate  under  my  hand  and  seal,  that  I  had  com- 
pelled him  to  do  so.  I  replied,  that  as  the  reason- 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  153 

able  terms  of  peace  which  had  been  proposed  to  him 
by  order  of  the  President  would  be  insisted  on, 
under  any  circumstances  whatever,  I  felt  no  hesi- 
tation in  giving  him  a  certificate  to  that  effect.* 
The  treaty  of  peace  was  in  consequence  concluded, 
and  signed  on  the  twenty-third  of  December. 
Omar  had  long  lain  under  the  ominous  imputation 
of  being  unfortunate.  The  plague  which  broke  out 
in  the  summer  of  1817,  and  raged  with  violence 
in  Algiers,  confirmed  the  prejudice,  and  AH  Khod- 
gia,  who  was  regarded  as  a  profound  theologist, 
availing  himself  of  it,  succeeded  in  organizing  a  fac- 
tion amongst  the  Janissaries  to  depose  the  Bashaw. 
The  plot  must  have  been  conducted  with  uncom- 
mon address,  or  the  Bashaw  had  relaxed  in  his 
customary  vigilance  ;  for  on  the  morning  of  the 
eighth  of  September  of  that  year,  he  was  surprised 
in  his  palace  by  the  conspirators,  who  informed 
him  that  he  must  die.  After  some  vain  efforts  to 
obtain  a  capitulation,  he  quietly  submitted,  and 
was  strangled  on  the  spot.  It  cannot  be  doubted 
that  Omar  possessed  great  moral  qualities,  but  he 
was  a  bigot  in  religion,  and  in  his  notions  of  politi- 
cal government ;  the  slightest  offence  against  the 
former  was,  during  his  reign,  punished  with  indis- 
criminate rigour ;  and  could  he  have  resolved  to 
depart  from  ancient  customs  so  far  as  to  remove 
his  residence  into  the  citadel,  where  he  would 
have  been  secure  from  sudden  attempts  of  faction, 

*  Appendix,  G. 

20 


154  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

he  might,  in  all   human  probability,  have  been  to 
this  day  upon  the  throne  of  Algiers. 

I  will  close  this  digression  by  noticing  several 
traits  in  the  character  of  Omar  within  my  own 
knowledge,  which  attest  his  clemency,  and  do 
great  credit  to  his  disposition  as  a  man.  In  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  1815,  a  conspiracy  was 
formed  against  him,  at  the  head  of  which  was 
Abdallah,  then  minister  of  Marine.  This  man  had 
been  a  chief  of  banditti  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Smyrna,  and  subsequently,  in  Algiers,  chamberlain, 
confidant,  and  minister  of  the  sanguinary  cruelties 
of  Hadji  Ali,  whom  he  finally  murdered  with  his 
own  hand,  as  a  partisan  of  Omar,  who,  in  recom- 
pense, raised  him,  on  his  accession,  to  the  post  of 
minister  of  Marine.  It  is  not  known  that  Abdallah 
possessed  any  respectable  quality  ;  in  him  avarice, 
cruelty,  vindictiveness,  and  brutal  ignorance  were 
associated  with  inordinate  ambition.  Fortunately 
the  plot  to  murder  the  Bashaw,  and  place  the  su- 
preme power  in  the  hands  of  this  monster,  was  fully 
discovered,  and  he  was  arrested  on  the  twelfth  of 
December  of  that  year.  Instead  of  taking  his  life, 
which  is  the  usual  course  in  such  cases  in  Algiers, 
Omar  caused  him  to  be  embarked  with  his  family 
and  effects  for  the  Levant  at  the  expense  of  the 
government,  leaving  to  his  brother  the  enjoyment 
of  all  his  real  estate,  which  was  considerable. 
The  man  who  succeeded  Abdallah  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  marine  had  been  a  Tchaux,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  155 

he  also  was  not  distinguished  by  any  respectable 
quality  ;  ignorance  and  brutality  were  his  leading 
characteristics.  In  the-battle  of  the  twenty-sev- 
enth of  August,  he  was  accused  by  the  populace  of 
connivance  with  the  enemy,  and  his  decapitation 
was  demanded  with  clamorous  violence.  Omar  or- 
dered him  to  be  confined.  Never  did  the  affairs  of 
Algiers  more  imperiously  demand  a  victim  than  on 
this  occasion,  yet  the  Bashaw  refused  to  take  his 
life,  and  by  the  first  occasion  caused  him  to  be 
embarked  with  his  family  for  the  Levant. 

On  the  accession  of  Omar  to  the  supreme  power, 
he  sent  for  his  mother  and  remaining  brother,  who 
arrived  in  Algiers  in  the  summer  of  1816.  It  seems 
that  he  must  have  regarded  his  situation  as  preca- 
rious, for  his  brother  returned  immediately  after 
the  battle,  and  in  the  month  of  January  following, 
he  embarked  his  mother  and  his  eldest  son  on 
board  of  a  Swedish  vessel  chartered  for  the  pur- 
pose, to  return  to  their  native  island.  Before  the 
departure  of  this  vessel,  he  sent  for  the  Swedish 
captain,  in  company  with  the  Consul  of  his  nation  ; 
and  made  to  the  former  a  munificent  present,  recom- 
mending to  his  kindness  and  care  his  mother  and 
his  son,  as  the  dearest  objects  of  his  solicitude.  On 
this  occasion  he  could  not  restrain  his  tears,  which 
flowed,  as  the  Swedish  Consul  informed  me,  in 
abundance.  It  is  possible  that  the  two  former  in- 
stances of  humanity  may  be  accounted  for  upon 
principles  of  state  policy,  but  the  latter  cannot  bo 
misinterpreted. 


156          SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

This  character  of  the  late  Bashaw  can  only  be 
duly  appreciated  by  taking  into  view  what  a  Dey 
of  Algiers  usually  is.  To  the  most  brutal  violence, 
atrocity,  and  insolence,  had  succeeded,  in  the  per- 
son of  Omar  an  appearance  of  propriety,  decency, 
and  decorum,  fortunately  this  laudable  example 
continues  to  be  followed  by  his  successors. 

AH  was  a  man  of  intelligence  and  good  natural 
abilities,  but  he  was  principally  remarkable  for  his 
presumption  and  intemperance  of  character.  In  vio- 
lation of  usages  which  had  ever  been  held  sacred  in 

o 

Algiers,  he  seized  two  young  women,  the  one  an 
English  Jewess,  the  other  a  Sardinian,  and  incor- 
porated them  into  his  seraglio  ;  he  sent  the  Algerine 
fleet  to  sea  on  a  cruise,  while  one  hundred  and  fifty 
persons  were  dying  daily  of  the  plague  in  the  city  ; 
they  sent  in  a  Sardinian  ship  of  considerable  value, 
which  was  confiscated  on  a  frivolous  pretext  ;  and 
several  French  and  Spanish  vessels,  that  were  af- 
terwards liberated.  These  cruisers  also  boarded 
and  contaminated  every  vessel  they  met  with,  ex- 
cept American,  which,  on  account  of  the  squadron 
of  the  United  States,  then  cruising  in  their  neigh- 
bourhood, they  thought  it  prudent  not  to  meddle 
with.  Ali  Khodgia  was  a  studious  man,  and  proba- 
bly master  of  all  the  literature  of  Algiers  ;  from 
this  notion  he  received  the  cognomen  of  Khodgia 
from  the  Turks,  although  he  was  never  aggregated 
to  that  body.  After  his  elevation  to  the  throne, 
amidst  the  most  sanguinary  proceedings,  he  always 
affected  the  man  of  letters. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  157 

When  on  public  occasions  he  was  visited  by  the 
foreign  Consuls,  they,  after  stumbling  over  scores 
of  murdered  carcasses  in  their  way  to  the  hall  of 
audience,  always  found  the  Bashaw  superbly  dress- 
ed, surrounded  by  his  guards,  with  a  book  in  his 
hands,  in  the  contemplation  of  which  he  would  af- 
fect to  be^interrupted,  and  precipitately  lay  it  aside 
on  their  entrance.  This  man  appears  to  have  re- 
garded himself  as  capable  of  restoring  the  ancient 
credit  and  importance  of  Algiers  ;  and  as  if  deter- 
mined to  demonstrate  to  the  world  the  inutility  of 
the  battle  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  August,  by 
showing  his  entire  disregard  of  the  parties  therein 
concerned,  he  also  compelled  the  brother  of  the 
Jewess  above  mentioned,  a  British  subject,  to  em- 
brace Islamism,  and  become  his  personal  interpre- 
ter. And  nothing  but  sudden  death  by  the  plague, 
as  is  generally  believed  in  Algiers,  prevented  him 
from  seizing  upon  and  incorporating  into  his  se- 
raglio the  daughter  of  the  British  Consul,  and  the 
Dutch  Consul's  sister.  These  secrets  of  the  seraglio 
were  published  after  his  death.  ' 

The  Janissaries  soon  discovered  that  they  had 
exchanged  a  magnanimous,  patriotic  prince,  for  a 
selfish,  capricious,  sanguinary  tyrant,  and  intrigues 
were  set  on  foot  in  the  barracks  to  remove  him  ; 
but  they  were  discovered  in  time  by  Ali  Khodgia, 
who,  before  they  could  be  matured,  transferred  his 
residence,  together  with  the  public  treasury,*  from 

*  OQ  this  occasion,  several  persons  believed  that  they  could  esti- 


158  SKETCHES  OF    ALGIERS. 

the  ancient  palace  of  the  Deys  of  Algiers  into  the 
citadel,  where  he  organized  a  guard  of  natives  for 
his  protection,  and  set  the  Turks  at  defiance.  This 
chief  appears  to  have  formed  the  project  of  sup- 
pressing entirely  the  corps  of  Janissaries,  and  pro- 
bably that  of  rendering  the  sovereignty  hereditary 
in  his  family.  He  persecuted  the  Turks  with  un- 
relenting ferocity,  and  it  is  calculated  that  above 
fifteen  hundred  of  these  praetorians  perished  by 
violence  during  his  rule.  The  short  reign  of  Ali 
Khodgia,  which  was  terminated  by  the  plague  early 
in  the  year  1818,  was  a  period  of  humiliation  and 
misfortune  to  the  Regency.  His  successor,  Hus- 
sein Pashaw,  continues  to  prefer  the  secure  resi- 
dence of  the  citadel. 

On  being  informed  of  the  depredations  of  the 
Algerine  squadron  above  mentioned,  I  represented 
to  the  Bashaw,  that  as  it  was  not  known  that  he 
was  at  open  war  with  any  nation,  it  was  expected 
that  while  the  plague  continued  in  his  dominions, 
he  would  instruct  the  commanders  of  his  cruisers 
not  to  visit,  and  thereby  contaminate  any  Ameri- 
can merchant  vessel ;  that  the  damage  m  conse- 
quence, through  the  quarantine,  to  which  vessels 
so  visited  must  necessarily  be  subjected,  was  too 

mate  the  amount  of  the  public  treasury,  by  the  time  that  was  taken 
to  transport  it  by  mules  into  the  citadel.  It  was  spoken  of  at  the 
time  as  amounting-  to  the  enormous  sum  of  fifty  millions  of  dollars. 
I  cannot  pretend  to  have  any  distinct  opinion  upon  this  subject,  but 
there  is  no  doubt  of  its  amounting"  to  a  very  important  sum. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  159 

great  to  be  patiently  borne,  and  in  short  would  not 
be  submitted  to.  The  Bashaw  in  reply  expressed 
much  regard  for  the  United  States,  and  a  desire  to 
do  every  thing  practicable  that  might  be  agreeable 
to  them,  but  he  pleaded  his  right  to  ascertain  by 
visit  on  the  high  seas,  who  were  friends  and  who 
not.  He  finally  proposed  that  a  signal  should  be 
agreed  on  by  which  American  vessels  might  be 
known  without  boarding.  In  April,  of  this  year, 
the  American  squadron,  commanded  by  Commo- 
dore Stewart,  arrived  in  the  bay  of  Algiers,  when 
the  same  remonstrances  were  repeated  to  the  suc- 
cessor of  Ali  Khodgia,  who,  without  discussion, 
agreed  to  the  conditions  required,  which  were 
faithfully  adhered  to.  This  agreement  I  caused  to 
be  published  by  a  circular  throughout  Europe,  for 
the  information  of  whom  it  might  concern. 

In  June  following,  the  British  frigate  the  Spar- 
tan, and  sloop  of  war  the  Spey,  arrived  in  Algiers 
on  a  special  mission  from  the  British  government. 

The  consequences  of  this  visit  were  the  restora- 
tion to  their  liberty  and  religion  of  the  two  young 
women  before  mentioned,  with  an  indemnity  of 
five  thousand  dollars  each  ;  the  payment  of  the 
amount,  about  thirty  thousand  dollars,  of  the  Sar- 
dinian ship  and  cargo,  which  had  been  captured 
and  confiscated  ;  and,  as  was  then  reported,  an  en- 
gagement not  to  send  any  cruisers  to  sea  during 
the  prevalence  of  pestilence  in  their  dominions. 
At  the  end  of  the  same  year,  the  great  sovereigns 


160  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

of  Europe  again  assembled  in  Congress  at  Aix-la- 
Chapelle,  in  order,  as  it  was  understood,  to  fix  up- 
on a  solid  basis  the  general  interests  of  the  civiliz- 
ed world.  The  deliberations  of  that  illustrious 
assembly  have  not  been  promulgated,  and  the  in- 
terests of  mankind  appear  to  be  as  unfixed  as  ever  ; 
but  in  September,  1819,  a  combined  French  and 
British  squadron  arrived  in  the  Bay  of  Algiers,  and 
their  commanders  conjointly  signified  to  the  Dey, 
that,  pursuant  to  a  determination  of  that  august 
body,  the  states  of  Barbary  were  prohibited  in  future 
from  cruising  or  making  war  upon  any  Christian 
European  power.  The  Bashaw,  after  several  days' 
deliberation,  refused  to  agree  to  this  arrangement, 
alleging  the  rights  of  Algiers,  which  had  been  re- 
cognised by  solemn  treaties,  and  respected  by  all 
the  world  during  a  succession  of  ages.*  It  yet  re- 
mains to  be  shown  whether  the  Congress  of  Aix- 
la-Chapelle  were  really  in  earnest  on  this  occasion, 
or  were  cajoled  and  misled  by  the  reports  of  the 
parties  charged  with  the  execution  of  their  decree 
respecting  the  states  of  Barbary. 

The  Algerines,  who  are  seldom  unmindful  of 
their  interests,  had  sent  an  embassy  to  London, 
early  in  this  year,  1819,  which  was  conveyed  thither, 
with  an  appropriate  present  of  horses,  lions,  ostrich- 
es, &:c.  by  a  British  sloop  of  war  sent  for  the  pur- 
pose !  Their  minister  was  received  at  Carlton 

*  Appendix,  H. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  161 

House  with  the  demonstrations  of  respect  and  at- 
tention usual  on  such  occasions.  The  objects  of 
this  extraordinary  mission  as  far  as  they  can  be 
known,  ucn;,  to  ascertain  distinctly,  whether  or 
not  they  could,  without  drawing  upon  themselves 
the  animadversion  of  Great  Britain,  continue  their 
customary  practice  of  violating  their  treaties  with 
the  minor  powers,  as  caprice  or  policy  might  dic- 
tate ;  and  of  depredating  the  commerce  of  such 
states  as  were  not  represented  in  Algiers.  These 
questions  were,  it  appears,  left  undetermined  by 
Lord  Ex  mouth. 

I  have  it  from  authority  that  I  cannot  doubt,  that 
the  Algerine  minister  propounded  to  Lord  Bathurst 
the  following  question  :  Whether,  as  his  govern- 
ment had  engaged  to  make  no  Christian  slaves, 
their  cruisers  might,  without  offending  Great  Brit- 
ain, put  to  death  such  of  their  prisoners  made  at 
sea,  as  they  could  not  by  treaty  reduce  to  slavery  ! 
This  minister  appears  to  have  mistaken  the  blan- 
dishments of  the  Prince  Regent  and  his  court, 
for  a  concurrence  in  the  pretensions  of  his  govern- 
ment ;  for  on  his  return,  he  induced  the  Regency 
to  believe  by  his  reports,  that  they  might,  as  usual, 
calculate  upon  the  friendship  and  protection  of 
Great  Britain.  The  Algerines  were  intoxicated 
with  joy  on  the  occasion,  and  began  with  alacrity 
to  equip  their  cruisers  for  sea.  These  flattering 
prospects  were  however  obscured  a  fortnight  after 
by  the  arrival,  as  above  mentioned,  of  the  coinbin- 
21 


162  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS, 

ed  squadrons,  which  again  threw  a  cloud  of  doubt 
and  uncertainty  over  even  their  political  existence. 
During  the  period  of  Algerine  history  which  is 
here  treated  of,  France  having  ceded  the  empire  of 
the  seas  to  her  rival,  her  relations  with  the  Regen- 
cy became  purely  defensive.  Late  in  the  year 
1815,  an  agent  of  the  restored  monarch  was  sent 
here  ;  and  since  this  epoch  a  system  of  the  most 
absurd  and  expensive  concessions,  and  of  conde- 
scension towards  these  pirates,  unbecoming  a  great 
and  powerful  nation,  has  been  followed,  and  has  in 
consequence  prostrated  the  character  and  political 
credit  of  France  in  Algiers.  It  would  be  invidi- 
ous to  record  here  the  details  of  these  disgusting 

o  o 

transactions. 

The  government  of  Joseph  Napoleon  in  Spain 
was  never  recognised  in  Algiers,  the  British  influ- 
ence preponderating  here  during  the  revolution 
consequent  to  the  efforts  of  the  emperor  Napoleon 
to  establish  his  brother  upon  the  throne  ;  and  dur- 
ing this  period  of  time  the  expenses  of  the  rela- 
tions of  Spain  with  the  Algerine  government, 
which  have  ever  been  enormous,  were  defrayed  by 
loans  obtained  of  certain  Jews  here,  at  exorbitant 
interest,  by  her  Consul.  In  1813-14,  the  Bey  of 
the  province  of  Oran  rebelled  against  this  govern- 
ment, and  marched  an  army  within  three  leagues 
of  Algiers.  After  various  vicissitudes  of  fortune, 
this  rebellion  was  quelled  by  the  late  Dey,  Omar 
Pashaw,  who  was  then  Aga,  and  the  Bey  was  made 


SKETCHES  OF   ALGIERS.  1G3 

prisoner  and  executed.  In  the  mean  time,  a  con- 
fidential Jew  eloped  from  Gram  with  a  portion  of 
the  Bey's  treasures,  and  as  it  has  since  been  ascer- 
tained, took  refuge  in  Gibraltar,  after  having  first 
landed  in  Malaga. 

Omar,  after  his  accession  to  the  throne,  chose 
to  believe  that  this  Jew  had  been  protected  in 
Spain,  and  in  consequence  established  a  claim  upon 
that  government  for  a  vast  but  indefinite  amount 
of  treasure,  with  which  he  was  supposed  to  have 
eloped.  The  Spanish  government  has  at  differ- 
ent times  demonstrated  that  this  claim  is  entirely 
unfounded,  not  only  in  justice,  but  in  fact  ;  and 
finally  sent  a  squadron  here  in  1817,  whose  com- 
mander distinctly  declared,  that  so  far  from  being 
allowed,  it  would  never  again  be  admitted  to  a 
discussion.  This  claim  is  now  stated  in  round 
numbers  to  be  three  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In 
the  mean  time  the  claims  of  the  Jews  upon  Spain, 
augmented  to  an  enormous  sum  by  compound  usury, 
were  ceded  to  the  Regency,  and  with  the  other, 
form  an  aggregate  of  about  one  million  three  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  which  they  continue  to  de- 
mand of  Spain.  The  latter  has  been  constantly 
endeavouring,  since  1815,  to  obtain  a  reasonable 
adjustment  of  these  demands,  but  in  vain.  The  Re- 
gency constantly  refusing  any  considerable  relaxa- 
tion in  their  pretensions,  appear  however  satisfied 
with  keeping  their  claims  alive,  probably  reserving 
to  themselves  the  right  of  enforcing  them  by  war 


164  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

whenever  circumstances  offer  them  a  fair  prospect 
of  success.  After  the  revolution,  the  constitutional 
government  of  Spain  feeling  that  such  equivocal 
relations  with  a  paltry  power  like  Algiers,  were 
alike  injurious  to  her  honour  and  her  interests,  di- 
rected her  Consul  to  demand  of  the  Regency  an 
equitable  settlement  of  the  affairs  in  dispute,  and 
in  case  of  refusal  to  withdraw  himself  from  Algiers. 
This  message  was  brought  to  Algiers  in  June  1822, 
by  a  combined  Spanish  and  Dutch  squadron  ;  the 
latter  having  joined  the  former  in  consequence  of  a 
defensive  treaty  of  alliance  against  the  Barbary 
powers,  concluded  at  Madrid  in  1815,  between 
Spain  and  the  Netherlands.  The  reply  of  the 
Bashaw  to  the  demands  of  Spain  being  unsatisfac- 
tory, the  Consul  embarked  furtively  on  board  of  the 
squadron,  and  these  powers  remain  in  a  state  of 
quasi  war. 

In  September  1821,  the  Algerines  despatched  a 
squadron  of  eight  sail  of  vessels  into  the  Levant  to 
aid  the  Turks  in  suppressing  the  rebellion  of  the 
Greeks  in  the  Morea.  This  force  was  successively 
augmented  by  the  remainder  of  their  navy,  and  af- 
ter the  unsuccessful  naval  campaign  of  the  Capou- 
dan  Pashaw  in  the  gulph  of  Patras,  returned  here  in 
October  1823,  The  Bashaw,  elated  with  the  repu- 
tation acquired  by  his  navy  in  the  Levant,  and  rely- 
ing upon  the  dark  policy  of  the  great  maritime  states 
of  Europe,  appears  at  this  period  to  have  conceived 
the  boldest  projects.  He  determined  to  test  the 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  165 

validity  of  the  convention  stipulated  with  Great 
fjritain  through  her  agent  Lord  Exmouth,  in  1816  ; 
to  declare  war  against  Spain  in  the  face  of  her  al- 
liance with  Holland  ;  and  to  renew  in  Algiers  the 
golden  days  of  Christian  slavery. 

The  facts  recorded  in  this  chapter  appear  to 
demonstrate  the  consideration  in  which  the  mari- 
time states  of  Europe,  and  particularly  Great  Brit- 
ain, have  affected  to  hold  the  Barbary  Regencies, 
especially  Algiers  ;  her  reluctance  to  agree  to  any 
arrangemement  by  which  the  lawless  depredations 
of  these  banditti  on  the  trade  of  the  civilized  world 
were  to  be  repressed,  even  while  she  was  pleading, 
in  the  sacred  names  of  religion  and  philanthropy, 
for  the  abolition  of  the  trade  in  negro  slaves  ;  and 
that  she  was  finally  compelled  to  agree  to  their  sup- 
pression as  pirates,  through  the  measures  adopted 
towards  them  by  the  United  States,  since  the  peace 
of  Ghent ;  measures  which  tend  to  render  their 
longer  toleration  ridiculous.  As  to  the  slave  trade, 
which  has  become  the  paramount  question  of  the 
day,  there  surely  can  be  but  one  opinion  upon  it 
with  the  enlightened  and  virtuous  classes  of  man- 
kind ;  but  it  is  as  surely  not  more  atrocious  now, 
than  when  the  British  nation  was  actually  bribed 
into  pacific  measures  at  the  negotiations  which  ter- 
minated in  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  by  the  cession  in 
her  favour  of  the  celebrated  privilege  of  Assiento  ; 
or  during  the  sixteen  years'  debate  in  Parliament  011 
this  interesting  question,  before  it  could  be  carried 


166  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

in  that  illustrious  assembly.  Time,  that  unerring 
agent  which  never  fails  to  bring  into  open  day  the 
motives  of  human  actions,  will  place  this  question 
in  its  true  light,  and  give  credit  only  where  it  is 
due. 

As  to  the  advantage,  to  the  honour  and  to  the 
interests  of  the  United  States,  of  compelling  the 
Barbary  powers  to  respect  our  flag  in  every  sea, 
instead  of  propitiating  them  by  tribute,  and  intermi- 
nable gifts  which  have  long  since  ceased  to  be  gra- 
tuitous, they  appear  too  obvious  to  need  any  fur- 
ther illustration  here.  1  would  fain  believe  that  the 
character  of  the  high  contracting  parties  at  Aix-la- 
Chapelle,  justifies  the  presumption  that  effect  will 
ultimately  be  given  to  their  agreement  in  congress 
there,  respecting  the  states  of  Baroary.  When  that 
shall  be  the  case,  it  appears  that  a  very  small  force 
stationed  in  the  Mediterranean  may  be  sufficient  to 
maintain  the  system  which  has  been  so  gloriously 
established  by  the  United  States  in  relation  to  these 
powers ;  but  until  then,  an  efficient  squadron  is  the 
only  means  by  which  it  can  be  maintained.  To 
recede  f:-om  this  system,  would  be  to  abandon  the 
high  character  which  has  been  established  here  ; 
to  verify  the  invidious  predictions  of  our  rivals  ; 
and  to  place  our  commerce  in  the  Mediterranean 
under  the  precarious  and  inglorious  safeguard  of 
indefinite  tribute. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  167 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  PROBABLE  DESTINY  OF  THIS  FINE  REGION  ;  THE  BEST 
POSITION  IN  AFRICA,  FROM  WHENCE  TO  PROSECUTE  DIS- 
COVERIES IN,  AND  COMMERCE  WITH,  THE  INTERIOR  ;  IN- 
FLUENCE OF  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  A  EUROPEAN  NATION 
IN  NORTH  AFRICA,  ON  CIVILIZATION,  AND  THE  SUPPRES- 
SION OF  THE  TRADE  IN  NEGRO  SLAVES. 

IN  the  preceding  pages,  I  have  endeavoured  to 
give  a  correct  view  of  the  real  power,  resources, 
and  policy  of  this  absurd  empire  ;  and  I  trust  that 
I  have  shown  the  Algerines  not  to  possess  even  the 
means  requisite  for  the  maintenance  of  peace  with 
the  commonwealth  of  nations  ;  much  less  those 
upon  which  may  be  founded  the  insolent  pretension 
of  living  without  the  pale  of  civilization  with  im- 
punity. Their  three  centuries  of  political  exist- 
ence as  freebooters,  has  not  been  owing  to  any  in- 
trinsic merit  of  their  own,  but  to  the  prevalence  of 
political  maxims  highly  illiberal,  and  absolutely 
dishonorable  to  the  present  enlightened  age. 

The  crazy  state  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  which 
now  appears  to  be  tottering  on  the  brink  of  ruin, 
must  remove  the  last  pretext  upon  which  the  anti- 
social existence  of  these  banditti  can  be  tolerated. 
To  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  who  justly  ap- 
preciates the  power  and  independent  policy  of  his 
country,  the  tolerating,  or  not,  of  these  pirates  must 


168  SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS. 

be  quite  indifferent  ;  indeed,  the  former,  by  com- 
pelling the  United  States  to  maintain  a  naval  sta- 
tion in  the  Mediterranean,  for  the  protection  of 
their  honour  and  their  interests,  has  ever  been,  and 
continues  to  be.  of  the  utmost  advantage,  in  the 
improvement  of  their  navy.  The  scenery,  where 
the  infant  Hercules  was  nursed,  is  still  agreeable 
to  him  in  the  pride  of  youth  and  manhood.  But 
upon  general  principles,  it  seems  to  be  worth  in- 
quiry what  may  be  the  destiny  of  this  fine  region, 
situated  so  near  to  the  centre  of  civilization ;  pos- 
sessing all  the  natural  means  of  supporting  a  dense 
population  ;  unrivalled  in  point  of  climate ;  and 
with  the  elements  of  power  second  to  no  other 
portion  of  the  globe  of  the  same  geographical  di- 
mensions. 

In  the  possession  of  a  civilized  and  industrious 
people,  this  portion  of  Africa  might,  even  within 
our  own  time,  aspire  to  every  sort  of  prosperity  ; 
and  to  the  glory  of  civilizing  a  vast  continent, 
whose  inhabitants  are  as  yet  enshrouded  in  the 
night  of  barbarism.  The  position  of  Algiers  ap- 
pears to  be  the  only  proper  one  to  be  selected  for 
this  last  and  highly  important  object.  Sufficient 
has  already  been  said  in  the  preceding  pages,  to 
demonstrate  the  incapacity  for  improvement  of  the 
Algerine  government  under  its  actual  form,  and 
such  are  the  barbarous  character  and  ignorance  of 
the  Turks,  as  to  forbid  any  hope  of  a  change  for 
the  better.  A  dissolution  of  this  ridiculous  gov- 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  163 

eminent  must  necessarily  follow  the  entire  sup- 
pression of  their  claims  to  pursue  the  trade  of  pi- 
rates, which,  in  the  natural  order  of  things,  cannot 
much  longer  be  delayed.  Then,  from  the  debased 
state  of  the  natives,  and  the  total  absence  of  all 
political  instruction,  it  appears  probable  that  the 
population  of  this  country  would  break  up  into 
separate  tribes  ;  that  the  wars  growing  out  of  their 
petty  local  jealousies,  and  naturally  inconstant  and 
ferocious  character,  would  extinguish  every  spark  of 
improvement  here  ;  when  its  inhabitants  must  re- 
trograde towards  the  savage  state  ;  and  leave  this 
beautiful  country  a  derelict. 

To  attempt  to  do  away  the  political  objections, 
if  any  there  be,  to  the  occupation  of  this  country 
by  a  European  power,  forms  no  part  of  my  pur- 
pose ;  though,  since  the  Holy  Alliance  have,  in 
their  wisdom,  judged  it  proper  to  reduce  Spain  to 
about  a  level  with  the  "legitimate"  empire  of 
Morocco,  in  point  of  political  importance,  it  is 
probable  that  all  their  power  would  be  opposed  to 
any  attempt  to  occupy  and  civilize  Barbary. 

Neither  does  it  appear  necessary  as  a  preliminary, 
to  discuss  the  question  of  colonies  ;  their  positive 
inutility  to  the  states  founding  them,  when  under- 
taken and  conducted  upon  the  modern  principles  of 
colonization,  that  is,  of  monopoly,  has  been  fully 
demonstrated  by  almost  all  the  nations  of  Europe. 
The  United  States  have  been  and  continue  to  be  of 
more  value  to  England  as  a  separate  empire, 
22 


170  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

through  the  all  powerful  influence  of  a  community 
of  language,  manners,  and  laws,  than  they  ever 
could  have  been  as  dependant  colonies.  An  ex- 
periment remains  to  be  made  on  the  principles 
upon  which  the  ancients  founded  colonies ;  and 
as  far  as  human  reason,  aided  by  experience, 
can  foresee,  there  seems  every  probability  of  its 
complete  success,  if  undertaken  upon  a  judicious  lo- 
cal choice,  and  with  the  means  necessary  to  insure 
protection  and  prosperity  during  the  incipient  stages 
of  colonial  existence. 

Great  Britain,  in  her  career,  has  discovered  an 
ambition,  and  a  spirit  of  self-aggrandizement,  that 
have  been  often  dangerous  to  the  independence 
and  repose  of  other  states;  she  may  justly  be  ac- 
cused of  many  abuses  of  power  ;  but  from  the  na- 
ture of  her  institutions,  and  the  peculiar  relative 
position  in  which  she  now  stands  to  the  rest  of 
Europe,  her  power  has  become  rather  an  object  of 
solicitude  than  of  apprehension  with  all  who  do  not 
believe  in  the  divine  right  and  infallibility  of  kings. 
She  is  also  the  only  European  power  of  modern 
times  that  has  founded  colonies  upon  constitutional 
or  chartered  principles  ;  whose  inhabitants  have  in 
consequence,  discovered  a  love  of  civil  liberty,  and 
an  aptness  for  self-government,  not  inferior  to  their 
ancestors  in  their  best  days  ;  while  those  of  all  the 
other  European  colonies  have  hardly  shown  them- 
selves fit  for  any  thing  else  than  willing  slaves  to 
their  mother  country. 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  171 

In  the  view,  therefore,  which  I  take  of  this  sub- 
ject, it  would  be  for  the  general  interests  of  the 
world  that  Great  Britain  should  determine  to  occu- 
py and  colonize  this  portion  of  Africa. 

It  may  be  objected  that  she  is  already  encum- 
bered with  colonies  in  all  parts  of  the  globe.  But 
these  colonies  are,  from  distance  and  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, incapable  of  ever  becoming  integral 
parts  of  the  real  strength  of  her  empire.  Those  of 
North  America  will  inevitably,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  join  the  confederation  of  the  United  States  ; 
those  of  the  American  Archipelago,  and  on  the 
continent  adjacent,  are  mere  plantations,  W7hose 
fate  appears  to  be  already  drawing  to  a  crisis,  and 
they  will  probably,  at  no  distant  period,  experience 
the  lot  of  St.  Domingo.  Her  empire  in  India  is 
held  by  too  uncertain  a  tenure  to  justify  any  cal- 
culations being  made  upon  it  ;  it  may  serve  for 
many  years  yet  to  furnish  lucrative  posts  to  the 
dependants  of  her  government,  to  enrich  a  colossal 
corporation,  and  furnish  the  means  of  corruption. 
That  these  may  be  national  benefits,  it  is  not 
my  prov  ince  to  affirm  or  to  deny ;  but  it  appears 
obviously,  that  the  British  empire  in  India  can 
never,  under  any  circumstances,  become  a  portion 
of  her  national  strength. 

The  advantages  which  mankind  at  large  would 
derive  from  the  establishment  of  a  nation  of  Eng- 
lishmen in  Numidia,  under  the  free  institutions  of 
the  mother  country,  so  organized  as  to  secifre  to 


172  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

this  new  state  a  certain  independence  in  the  matu- 
rity of  time,  without  imposing  upon  her  any  other 
obligations  than  such  as  naturally  result  from  na- 
tional affection,  the  recollection  of  past  benefits, 
anil  a  community  of  interests,  appear  to  be  vast 
beyond  the  range  of  human  calculation.  In  rela- 
tion to  their  mother  countries,  such  were  in  anti- 
quity Carthage  and  Syracuse  ;  at  the  present  day, 
such  are  the  new  states  of  the  American  confedera- 
tion ;  and  such  would  Ireland  be,  under  a  reason- 
able system  of  political  government. 

The  western  coast  of  Africa  between  the  tropics, 
appears  to  furnish  eligible  situations  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  plantations,  but  here  a  powerful  empire 
may  be  founded.  Under  such  circumstances,  this 
portion  of  Barbary  would  become  more  abundant 
in  the  staple  productions  of  corn,  wine,  oil,  silk, 
wool,  and  cattle,  than  any  other  country  ;  the 
sources  of  interior  African  trade,  through  which 
several  cities  in  this  part  of  Mauritania  rose,  under 
the  Roman  domination,  to  a  degree  of  opu- 
lence and  splendor  which  at  this  day  seems  incredi- 
ble, would  be  re-opened  ;  and  through  these  chan- 
nels, the  produce  of  the  arts,  and  the  principles  of 
European  civilization,  would  penetrate  into  the  very 
centre  of  this  benighted  continent,  eradicate  the 
inhuman  traffic  in  slaves,  and  perhaps  operate  as 
great  a  change  in  the  general  condition  of  man- 
kind, as  did  the  discovery  and  colonization  of 
America.  Sound  principles  of  political  economy 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  17t> 

demonstrate  how  rapidly  a  territory  may  be  set- 
tled that  possesses  a  benign  climate  and  fruitful 
soil ;  when  adequate  means  are  applied  to  such  an 
object,  their  effects,  as  experience  has  shown,  ap- 
pear almost  supernatural.  If  the  surplus  popula- 
tion of  Great  Britain,  which  has  already  become 
an  intolerable  burthen  to  her,  were,  upon  a  regular 
system,  gradually  transported  hither,  and  her  im- 
mense capitals  employed  in  developing  the  natural 
resources  of  this  country,  it  seems  probable  that 
she  might  duplicate  herself  here  in  the  course  of  a 
century. 

As  I  have  before  remarked,  I  meddle  not  with 
any  political  objections,  if  any  there  be,  to  such  a 
measure,  but  having  mentioned  it  as  a  possible 
course  of  human  affairs,  and  a  question  of  great 
curiosity  and  interest,  it  becomes  my  duty  to  de- 
monstrate that  the  idea  is  at  least  not  an  absurd 
one.  It  is,  I  think,  unquestionable,  that  the  portion 
of  Barbary  called  "  the  kingdom  of  Algiers," 
unites  all  the  physical  and  relative  properties  that 
would  naturally  be  sought  for,  if  such  a  plan  were 
really  intended  ;  such  as  a  temperate  and  healthy 
climate,  a  fruitful  soil,  that  appears  proper  for 
every  species  of  agriculture  ;  a  great  extent  of  sea- 
coast,  with  several  fine  harbours  ;  and  being  situated 
so  near  Europe,  as  to  render  this  territory  perhaps  the 
only  portion  of  the  globe  where  a  plan  of  coloniza- 
tion from  thence,  could  be  undertaken  with  a 
reasonable  prospect  of  success  in  a  sh,ort  space  of 
time. 


174  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

This  country  also  offers  a  very  important  moral 
advantage  in  such  a  case,  in  the  relative  smallness 
of  its  population,  which  would  be  greatly  bene- 
fited by  the  change,  and  which  is  of  such  a  charac- 
ter as  to  admit  of  amalgamation  with  the  colonists 
by  intermarriages  without  dishonour  to,  or  deterio- 
ration of  the  pure  blood  of  Europe.  To  the  gen- 
erality of  Europeans,  this  remark  may  appeal- 
trivial,  but  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  accus- 
tomed to  contemplate  his  own  country,  unfortu- 
nately encumbered  with  a  mass  of  black  popula- 
tion which  cannot  be  thus  disposed  of,  will  feel  its 
force  and  importance.  As  to  the  ability  of  these 
people  to  resist  conquest,  little  needs  to  be  said  in 
addition  to  the  foregoing  chapters.  If  fleets  should 
be  sent  to  attack  their  triple  tiers  of  batteries  of 
solid  stone  masonry,  and  mounted  with  above  a 
thousand  pieces  of  ordnance,  they  might  probably 
enough  be  crippled  and  defeated,  if  even  more 
powerful  than  those  commanded  by  Lord  Ex- 
mouth  in  1816  ;  but  they  have  no  means  of  resist- 
ing a  combined  attack  by  land  and  sea,  by  even  a 
comparatively  small  force. 

A  people  of  less  than  a  million  of  souls,  consist- 
ing principally  of  shepherds,  unarmed  and  unin- 
structed,  spread  over  such  an  extent  of  country, 
could  not,  under  any  circumstances,  offer  any 
efficient  resistance  to  an  organized  invasion  by 
regular  troops.  The  Turkish  power  in  Barbary  is 
piratical,  as  well  by  land  as  by  sea,  as  far  as  it 

\ 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  175 

extends,  and  is  in  consequence,  entirely  destitute  of 
popularity.  It  is  probable,  though,  that,  from  the 
force  of  habit,  and  the  influence  of  fanaticism, 
considerable  multitudes  would  obey  the  call  of  the 
existing  authorities,  and  flock  down  to  the  defence 
of  the  capital,  in  case  of  invasion  ;  but  incapable 
of  any  efficient  resistance,  their  opposition  would 
be  like  a  fire  of  straw,  which  would  cease  in  a  few 
days,  from  the  mere  wrant  of  subsistence;  and  after 
the  fall  of  the  capital,  and  consequent  destruction 
of  the  Turkish  power  here,  they  could  never  again 
be  re-assembled.  It  is,  however,  probable,  that  a 
desultory  Numidian  resistance  would  be  made,  and 
continued  for  some  time,  in  the  interior,  which  it 
would  be  the  province  of  policy  rather  than  force 
to  reduce. 

On  the  reduction  of  the  city  of  Algiers,  it  ap- 
pears probable  that  all  the  semi-civilized  Moors, 
and  even  the  Turks,  would  immediately  submit  to 
a  government  established  upon  the  bioad  basis  of 
respect  for  existing  prejudices,  and  affording  pro- 
tection to  all  professions  of  faith,  as  well  as  to 
persons  and  property.  Under  such  a  dispensation 
there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  this  description 
of  inhabitants  would  not  become  as  quiet  citizens, 
as  the  corresponding  classes  in  Calcutta  and  Ma- 
drass  ;  for  there  does  not  appear  to  be  any  thing 
in  Mohammedan  faith  more  contrary  to  civilization 
and  social  order  than  in  any  other  religion,  when 
unconnected  with  the  strong  arm  of  power.  The 


176  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

greatest  grievance  which  the  inhabitants  of  this 
country  have  to  complain  of,  is  the  almost  total 
prohibition  to  export  the  products  of  their  soil  and 
industry  ;  the  removal  of  this  grievance  would 
probably  conciliate  all  the  African  tribes,  as  it 
would  almost  immediately  create  abundance,  and 
comparative  wealth. 

The  materials  of  war  existing  in  this  capital, 
together  with  the  public  treasury,  the  fruits  of 
three  centuries  of  depredation  on  the  trade  of  the 
world,  and  which  has  been  rated  as  high  as  fifty 
millions  of  dollars,  would  naturally,  in  such  an 
event,  become  the  prize  of  the  conquerors,  and  in 
all  probability  would  be  equal  in  amount  to  all  the 
expenses  of  the  conquest. 

It  would  appear  presumption  in  me  to  attempt 
to  fix  the  amount  of  force  that  the  conquest  and 
occupation  of  this  country  would  require.  If  it 
were  undertaken  by  Great  Britain,  she  would  find 
in  the  memoirs  of  her  wars  and  conquests  in  Asia, 
precedents  for  every  thing  that  could  occur  here. 


-KKTCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  177 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Extracts  from  the  JOURNAL  kept  in  the  CONSULATE  of  the  U.MTKU 
STATES  at  ALGIERS. 


DISTURBANCE  BETWEEN  THE  KABYLES  AND  ALGERINES  ; 
I  111.  AMERICAN  CONSUL'S  PROTECTION  OF  HIS  KABYLE  SER- 
\  \.\TS  ;  I'HOTEST  OF  THE  FOREIGN  CONSULS  ;  DIFFEREN- 
CES OF  THE  BRITISH  CONSUL  WITH  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF 
ALGIERS  ;  HE  IS  COMPELLED  TO  LEAVE  THE  CITY,  AND 
HIS  AFFAIRS  ARE  ENTRUSTED  TO  THE  AMERICAN  CONSUL  ; 
ATTEMPTS  AT  A  CONCILIATION  BETWEEN  THE  BRITISH 
ADMIRAL  AND  THE  ALGERINE  GOVERNMENT  J  OBSTINACY  OF 
THE  BASHAW  ;  INTERVIEW  OF  THE  AMERICAN  CONSUL  WITH 
THE  BASHAW  ;  BRITISH  BLOCKADING  SQUADRON  STATIONED 
IN  THE  HARBOUR  ;  FINAL  SETTLEMENT  OF  DIFFERENCES 
BETWEEN  THE  BRITISH  AND  ALGERINES,  ON  VERY  EXTRA- 
ORDINARY GROUNDS  ;  AMERICAN  VESSEL  WRECKED  ON  THE 
BARBARY  COAST,  AND  THE  OFFICERS  AND  CREW  REDEEMED 
FROM  SLAVERY  BY  THE  CONSUL  ;  DUTCH  NEGOTIATION  AT 
ALGIERS. 

1823.  October  22d.  News  was  received  here 
yesterday  of  a  rupture  between  the  Kabyles  in- 
habiting the  mountains  of  Boujaiah  and  the  govern- 
ment of  that  place.  In  their  first  hostilities  several 
were  killed  on  both  sides,  and  a  Turkish  Mufti  was 
made  prisoner  and  carried  into  the  mountains  as  a 
hostage.  The  little  community  in  question  furnish, 
on  the  faith  of  their  treaties  with  the  Regency, 
many  labourers  to  Algiers,  and  particularly  domes- 
tic servants  to  the  Consular  families,  by  whom 
they  are  esteemed  for  their  fidelity  and  cleanliness. 


178          SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

This  day  a  message  was  received  from  this  gov- 
ernment at  all  the  Consulates,  by  their  respective 
drogomans,  requiring  that  all  the  individuals  of  the 
little  nation  in  question,  in  their  service,  should  be 
delivered  up,  to  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war,  as 
rebels,  or  as  hostages,  as  the  case  might  be.  The 
Consul  was  at  this  time  on  a  visit  to  the  British 
Consul  in  the  country  ;  the  drogoman  was  there- 
fore informed  that  no  message  could  be  given  un- 
til his  return.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Kabyles 
were  obtained,  as  demanded,  at  .the  Consulates  of 
Sweden,  Denmark,  and  Sardinia,  by  either  fraud, 
force,  or  persuasion.  The  British  Consul,  who 
had  a  number  of  these  unfortunate  people  in  his 
service,  replied  with  becoming  dignity,  that  he 
would  never  consent  to  deliver  up  his  domestic 
servants,  grounding  his  refusal  upon  the  laws  of 
nations,  and  the  usages  of  this  country,  where  the 
rights  of  hospitality  are  regarded  as  sacred,  and 
form,  indeed,  the  only  barrier  against  indiscrimi- 
nate violence. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  three  several  messages 
were  received  at  the  British  Consulate,  all  requir- 
ing their  delivery,  and  alleging  various  plausible 
pretexts  for  insisting  upon  it ;  but  all  were  firmly 
refused.  On  returning  home,  the  Consul  visited 
in  his  way  the  Consul  of  France,  and  found  that  he 
had  made  the  same  plea,  but  he  appeared  undeter- 
mined as  to  what  he  should  do  if  the  demand  were 
persisted  in. 


ETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  179 

.  This  day  the  drogoman  came  with  a  sec- 
ond message  of  the  most  friendly  character,  imply- 
ing, that  this  government,  sensible  of  the  inconve- 
nience of  the  Consul's  being  deprived  of  his  family 
servants,  who,  doubtless,  could  not  be  easily  re- 
placed, desisted  from  demanding  the  Kabyles  under 
his  roof,  requesting  only  that  he  would  prevent 
them  from  appearing  in  the  streets,  where  they 
might  be  arrested,  according  to  general  orders  giv- 
en to  that  effect.  To  this  message  the  Consul 
returned  a  suitable  reply. 

24^/i.  Several  messages  were  in  the  course  of 
this  day  sent  to  the  British  Consulate,  requiring 
the  delivery  of  the  Kabyles,  but  without  effect.  It 
is  reported  that  the  French  Consul  discharged  those 
in  his  service,  advising  them  to  lake  care  of  them- 
selves. This  man,  educated  in  the  Levant,  is  im- 
bued with  incomprehensible  prejudices  ;  he  speaks 
the  Turkish  language  fluently  ;  talks  much  and 
plausibly,  but  he  cannot  with  safety  be  relied  on. 

25^/i.  This  morning,  before  the  Consul  was  up, 
the  drogoman  came  and  reported,  that  the  Regency 
were  determined  to  have  delivered  up  to  them  the 
Kabyles  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  different 
Consulates  ;  that  the  Hasnagee,  in  consideration 
of  the  friendship  so  long  subsisting  between  him 
and  the  Consul,  had  done  his  utmost  to  obtain  an 
exemption  in  his  favour,  but  without  effect,  and 
now  advised  his  friend  to  avoid  inevitable  violence, 
by  delivering  up  the  men  in  question,  assuring  him 


180 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 


that  they  should  be  kindly  treated,  and  returned  to 
him  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  The  Consul 
directed  his  steward  to  say  as  from  himself  to  the 
drogoman,  that  he  could  not  be  visible  before  nine 
o'clock  as  usual ;  that  it  was  well  known  that  he 
would  never  consent  to  deliver  up  the  men  demand- 
ed ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  he,  the  drogoman,  as 
an  intelligent  public  servant,  should  take  such  steps 
as  he  thought  likely  to  succeed,  to  avoid  the  de- 
mand being  insisted  on,  and  the  scandal  that  might 
ensue. 

In  the  mean  time,  an  interpreter,  M.  Bensamon, 
was  sent  for,  and  at  nine  o'clock,  the  drogoman 
returned  with  a  positive  demand  for  the  delivery 
of  the  Kabyles,  and  a  most  earnest  request  from 
his  ancient  friend  the  Hasnagee,  that  he  \vould 
comply  with  it,  assuring  him  that  strong,  armed 
detachments  had  gone  to  the  British  and  French 
gardens,  to  carry  into  execution  the  same  requisi- 
tion there,  and  that  an  armed  party  was  actually 
stationed  at  the  door  of  this  Consulate  for  the  same 
purpose.  The  Consul  charged  the  drogoman  to 
return  his  sincere  thanks  to  the  Hasnagee  for  his 
friendly  attempts  to  serve  him,  and  with  the  proper 
compliments  to  the  other  public  authorities,  to  say 
that  they  required  of  him  what  he  could  not  agree 
to  without  both  public  and  private  dishonour ;  that 
the  rights  of  hospitality  were  held  sacred  by  the 
Turks  and  the  Arabs,  as  fundamental  laws,  and 
should  be  respected  here,  as  far  as  it  depended  on 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  181 

him  ;  that  he  was  unable  to  repel  force  by  force, 
and  should  not  attempt  to  oppose  the  armed  public 
authority,  but  if  they  obtained  the  men  in  question, 
they  must  seize  and  drag  them  from  the  most  sa- 
cred part  of  his  dwelling.  He  then  called  the  Ka- 
byles  and  placed  them  in  his  cabinet. 

The  drogoman  shortly  after  returned  from  the 
Minister  of  Marine  and  Foreign  Affairs,  accompa- 
nied by  an  officer,  who  remained  at  the  door,  with 
the  guards  ;  he  brought  the  most  soothing  assuran- 
ces from  the  Minister,  of  good  treatment  of  the 
men,  and  of  their  being  speedily  returned  to  him, 
and  the  most  earnest  entreaties  that  he  would  not 
resist  a  positive  order  of  the  Bashaw,  that  must  be 
executed  at  whatever  hazard  ;  to  which  the  drogo- 
man  added  all  his  own  eloquence  of  tears  and  la- 
mentation. The  Consul  replied,  that  the  Bashaw 
and  his  ministers  had  nothing  within  their  power 
that  could  engage  him  to  shrink  from  his  duty,  and 
dishonour  the  post  that  was  confided  to  him  ;  that 
if  the  men  in  question  were  taken  from  him,  it 
must  be  by  seizing  and  dragging  them  by  force 
from  the  position  where  they  then  were  at  his  feet ; 
and  if  such  were  the  determination  of  the  govern- 
ment, the  sooner  the  deed  were  done  the  better. 
The  drogonicin,  finding  the  Consul  inflexible,  de- 
parted, and  shortly  after  the  guards  were  with- 
drawn. 

Information  was  subsequently  received  that  the 
British    Consular  house  in  town  had  been  forcibly 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 


entered,  and  two  of  the  people  in  question  seized 
and  confined  to  hard  labour  in  chains.  Rather  late 
this  evening,  further  information  was  received,  that 
an  armed  party  had  proceeded  to  the  British  garden, 
and  made  a  peremptory  demand  of  the  delivery  of 
the  Kabyles  employed  there,  which  the  British 
Consul  firmly  refused,  placing  the  national  seals  on 
his  doors,  and  displaying  his  flag  over  them  ;  not- 
withstanding which,  late  in  the  day,  and  by  a  pos- 
itive order  of  the  Bashaw,  they  broke  the  seals, 
forcibly  entered,  and  ignominiously  searched  his 
house,  not  even  respecting  the  apartments  of  his 
wife  and  daughters,  his  sacred  harem  !  This  in 
Mohammedan  countries,  is  the  greatest  insult  that 
can  be  offered,  and  never  occurred  during  the  ex- 
asperated civil  wars  of  the  Mamelukes  in  Egypt. 

It  is  now  correctly  known  that  yesterday  the 
French  Consul,  after  having  an  interview  with  the 
Minister  of  Marine,  returned  home,  when  he  called 
his  Kabyles,  whom  he  paid  off  and  discharged  from 
his  premises,  in  presence  of  his  drogoman  and 
Guardian  ;  that  is,  he  indirectly  delivered  them  up, 
and  thereby  abandoned  all  pretension  of  his  gov- 
ernment to  vindicate  the  laws  of  nations  in  Algiers. 

27th.  The  Consul  was  this  day  consulted  by  the 
British  Consul  on  the  propriety  of  drawing  up  a 
general  protest  against  the  late  violent  proceedings 
here.  He  replied  that  he  was  ready  to  enter  into 
any  measure  that  might  be  thought  advisable,  with 
him,  the  British  Consul,  but  that  he  declined  act- 


^KETCHES     OF    ALGIERS. 


. 

in^  in  concert  with  men  who  had  shrunk  from  their 
duty  and  abandoned  their  posts. 

28J/J.  Every  thing  appearing  quiet,  the  Consul 
went  out  to  the  British  garden,  where  he  met  the 
Consul  of  Holland,  and  learnt  from  him  with  much 
pleasure,  that  the  honour  of  his  post  had  been 
maintained.  Oil  learning  what  was  passing  he  as- 
sembled his  Kabyles  and  offered  to  them  their 
choice  of  remaining  under  the  protection  of  his 
flag,  or  of  escaping.  They  chose  the  latter,  and  his 
premises  were  not  violated.  It  is  also  necessary  to 
mention,  for  the  honour  of  Denmark  and  Sweden, 
that  the  Consulate  of  the  former  was  vacant  here 
under  the  charge  of  a  Guardian  only,  and  that  of 
the  latter  was  administered  by  a  Secretary  in  the 
absence  of  the  Consul  on  leave. 

Arrived  the  Algerine  squadron  of  eight  sail  of  ves- 
sels of  war  from  the  Levant, 

November  26th.  The  British  Consul  continuing 
to  testify  a  wish  that  a  general  protest  should  be 
entered  into  against  the  proceedings  of  the  Regen- 
cy from  the  twenty-second  to  the  twenty-fifth  of  last 
month,  the  Consul,  to  avoid  any  appearance  of  sel- 
fishness, finally  consented  to  concur  in  it,  on  the 
condition  that  he  should  not  be  required  to  sign 
any  paper  which  should  contain  any  thing  contrary 
to  his  own  views  of  the  subject.  Accordingly  all 
the  Consuls  met  by  appointment  this  day  at  the 
country  residence  of  the  Consul  of  Holland,  when 
a  project  of  a-  protest  offered  by  the  Consul  was 
accepted  nem.  con. 


184  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

•^ 

December  2d.  All  the  Consuls  assembled  to-day 
at  this  Consulate,  where  they  breakfasted,  and  sign- 
ed a  protest  against  the  proceedings  of  this  govern- 
ment from  the  twenty-second  to  the  twenty-fifth 
of  October  last,  which  at  one  o'clock  they  present- 
ed in  a  body  to  the  Minister  of  Marine  and  For- 
eign Affairs  ;  which  he  received  and  promised  to 
communicate  to  the  Bashaw. 

10th.  This  day  the  Consul  is  informed  on  suffi- 
cient authority  that  the  two  young  men  who  have 
found  protection  under  this  roof  have  been  condemn- 
ed to  death,  and  ordered  by  the  Bashaw  to  be  in- 
stantly executed  if  caught  without  these  walls. 

27th.  Arrived,  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  two 
Neapolitan  frigates,  which  after  communicating 
with  the  British  Consul,  departed  on  the  same 
day. 

1824.  January  9th.  Arrived  a  British  schooner 
from  Smyrna  with  sixty  recruits.  On  the  arrival 
of  this  vessel  some  Algerines  went  on  board,  and 
for  some  unknown  reason,  grossly  insulted  and 
even  beat  the  master  in  an  outrageous  manner. 

Wth.  Sailed  an  Algerine  squadron  consisting  of 
two  frigates,  a  polaccre  corvette,  a  brig,  and  a 
schooner,  on  a  cruise  under  the  command  of  Musta- 
pha  Rais.  These  vessels,  on  departing,  hoisted  the 
Spanish  flag  under  their  respective  bowsprits, 
which  is  regarded  here  as  a  declaration  of  war. 

12tfA.  Arrived  a  French  schooner  of  war  from 
Toulon  in  five  days. 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  185 

16//L  The  Consul  of  France  communicated  to 
the  Consul  a  copy  of  an  official  letter  from  him- 
self to  the  British  Consul,  announcing  that  his 
government  viewed  with  the  utmost  indignation, 
the  conduct  of  the  Regency  towards  the  foreign 
agents  here  in  October  last  ;  that  they  regard  the 
foreign  Consulates  in  Algiers,  as  inviolable,  and 
direct  him  to  act  in  concert  with  the  British  Con- 
sul in  any  measure  that  he  may  be  instructed  to 
adopt  in  consequence  of  those  events,  should  it 
even  lead  to  war.  This  note  was  also  immediate- 
ly communicated  by  the  British  Consul. 

24^.   Arrived  an  Algerine  schooner   from  their 
squadron    with  a   prize    under  the    Spanish  flag. 
This  event  excites  the  most  enthusiastic  joy  in  the 
Algerine  populace  ;  they  hail  it  as  a  new  era  of  pros- 
perity in  Algiers. 

27th.  The  British  Consul  sent  his  drogoman 
to  remonstrate  against  the  officers  and  crew  of  the 
prize  brig  being  treated  as  slaves,  as  contrary  to  the 
provisions  of  the  treaty  of  1816.  To  this  message 
the  Bashaw  replied  distinctly,  that  the  treaty  in 
question  was  concluded  for  the  term  of  three  years 
only  ;  that  the  Spanish  officers  and  crew  were  al- 
ready in  chains  as  slaves  ;  and  that  from  this  day 
Christian  slavery  began  anew  in  Algiers  ! 

28th.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay  the  Brit- 
ish frigate  Nayad,  the  Honourable  Captain  Spencer, 
detached   from  the  Tagus  with  despatches  for  the 
British  Consul  relative  to  the  affair  of  October 
24 


186  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

He  confidentially  communicated  his  instructions 
from  his  government  to  the  Consul  ;  they  distinct- 
ly approve  his  conduct,  and  have  sent  him  addition- 
al articles  to  the  treaty,  to  which  the  signature  of 
the  Bashaw  is  required,  and  by  which  all  the  rights 
called  in  question  in  that  affair  are  unequivocally 
stipulated  for  upon  the  broadest  basis. 

29th.  Arrived  two  other  Spanish  vessels  of  small 
value,  prizes  to  the  Algerine  squadron.  The  Con- 
sul is  informed  that  the  Dey  hesitates  at  signing  the 
articles  presented  to  him  by  the  British  Consul  ; 
he  affects  to  believe  that  they  are  not  authentic,  oa 
account,  as  he  pretends,  of  their  wanting  the  proper 
seal  of  orifice,  &c.  As  they  are  imperative,  they 
cannot  be  modified.  The  Consul  is  confidentially 
informed,  by  the  British  Consul,  of  his  intention  to 
embark  his  family,  which  he  strongly  recommends  ; 
as,  if  the  question  as  yet  in  dispute  should  even  be 
amicably  settled,  that  respecting  the  renewal  of 
slavery  in  Algiers  is  of  a  fundamental  character,, 
and  of  the  utmost  importance  to  Great  Britain  ;  and 
as,  since  it  cannot  be  known  what  measures  she  may 
adopt  in  consequence,  those  interesting  persons 
might  be  detained  as  hostages.  The  Consul  at- 
tended the  ladies  of  the  British  family,  with  all  the 
children,  on  board  the  Nayad  on  pretence  of 
breakfasting  with  Captain  Spencer,  with  the  Con- 
suls of  Sweden  and  Holland,  and  the  lady  of  the 
latter.  They  returned  at  twro,  and  at  the  entrance 
of  the  port  they  met,  with  surprise,  the  British 
Consul  going  off  with  Captain  Spencer. 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  187 

The  Consul  was  subsequently  informed  by  a  note 
from  the  British  Consul,  that  the  nogotiations 
would  in  future  be  conducted  on  board  the  Nayad, 
and  that  no  part  of  the  sine  qua  non  of  his  govern- 
ment would  be  ceded  ;  recommending  to  the  Con- 
sul's care  and  protection  his  servants,  houses,  and  all 
effects  whatever,  left  in  Algiers,  in  case  of  a  failure 
of  the  negotiations.  Mrs.  McDonell  and  her  fami- 

o 

ly  having  embarked  nearly  destitute  of  all  necessa- 
ries, even  linen,  the  Consul  recommended  to  the 
person  having  charge  of  the  British  Consul's  do- 
mestic affairs,  to  pack  up  their  effects  ready  for 
embarkation,  to  demand  permission  through  the 
drogoman  to  send  them  on  board,  and  in  case  of 
refusal,  \vhich  appears  improbable,  to  apply  to  him. 
It  has  been  signified  to  the  Regency  by  Captain 
Spencer,  that  the  Nayad  will  wait  for  a  definitive 
answer  until  Saturday  noon,  this  being  Thurs- 
day. 

30^.  No  remarkable  occurrence  this  day.  It 
is  reported  that  a  Divan  is  held  at  the  palace  for 
the  discussion  of  these  important  transactions. 

3lst.  The  Bashaw  sent  off  this  morning  by  the 
Port  Admiral,  Hadji  Ali  Rais,  who  is  esteemed  for 
his  intelligence  and  liberal  views,  a  message  that 
seemed  much  in  favour  of  peace.  He  renounced 
distinctly,  the  pretension  of  reducing  the  Spanish 
prisoners  to  slavery,  and  promised  that  they  should 
be  liberally  treated  as  prisoners  of  war  ;  that  the 
instrument  sent  him  should  be  signed ;  and  he  even 


188  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

pleaded  but  feebly  for  the  question  of  hoisting  the 
flag  in  town,  which  is  the  most  obnoxious  article.  It 
appears  that  these  questions  were  discussed  yester- 
day in  Divan,  where  the  Dey  continued  obstinate 
in  the  opinion  that  Algiers  ought  to  cede  nothing, 
but  found  himself  compelled  to  yield  to  a  majority 
of  the  whole.  Under  these  appearances  Captain 
Spencer  landed,  and  a  quantity  of  baggage  belong- 
ing to  the  British  family  which  had  been  prepared 
by  the  Consul's  order  was  sent  off;  he  having  pre- 
viously informed  this  government  by  his  drogoman, 
that  the  baggage  in  question,  being  composed  of 
necessaries  for  women  and  children,  against  whom 
war  ought  not  to  be  waged  in  any  case,  he  hoped 
they  would  not  refuse  to  let  it  go,  as  he  should 
then  apply  to  send  it  off  under  his  own  flag. 

Subsequently,  Captain  Spencer  sent  by  the  Brit- 
ish interpreter  to  say,  that  he  regarded  the  negotia- 
tions as  ended,  and  wished  to  see  the  Consul.  He 
informed  him  that  the  Algerines  had  assumed  a  very 
dry  manner  towards  him  ;  that  they  would  not  cede 
the  question  of  the  flag,  though  they  pleaded  the 
most  pacific  feelings  ;  that  the  Bashaw  would  write 
a  letter  to  the  king  of  Great  Britain,  but  that  he 
preferred  war  to  dishonour,  &c.  Captain  Spencer, 
upon  whom  these  negotiations  appear  to  have  now 
devolved,  replied  that,  he  having  no  discretionary 
powers,  the  Bashaw  must  sign  unconditionally  the 
papers  submitted  to  him,  or  he  should  depart. 
They  inquired  if  his  departure  would  be  a  declara- 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  189 

tion  of  war.  He  answered  that  he  should  follow  his 
instructions,  which  he  could  not  communicate.  He 
renewed  the  recommendation  to  the  Consul's  care 
and  protection,  of  every  thing  that  Mr.  McDonell  is 
compelled  to  leave  behind  on  this  occasion.  The 
Consulates  of  Naples,  Portugal,  Austria,  and  Tus- 
cany, which  were  administered  by  the  British  Con- 
sul, are  left,  together  with  his  pecuniary  affairs,  in 
charge  of  a  M.  Louis  Granet,  who  has  been  long 
in  his  employment. 

Captain  Spencer,  after  receiving  the  Consul's  as- 
surances that  he  would  do  every  thing  to  meet  the 
views  of  his  friend,  the  British  Consul,  in  any  con- 
tingency whatever,  that  came  within  the  range  of 
his  power  and  was  compatible  with  his  public  duty, 
went  on  board,  and  by  two  o'clock  the  Nayad, 
together  with  a  brig,  the  Camelion,  which  had  join- 
ed this  morning,  were  under  weigh.  Previously  to 
the  departure  of  Captain  Spencer,  the  Consul  sent 
his  drogoman  to  inform  the  Minister  of  Marine, 
that  he  knew  that  the  departure  of  these  ships 
would  be  a  real  commencement  of  war  with  Great 
Britain,  the  most  powerful  of  maritime  states,  and 
that  ruin  to  Algiers  might  ensue.  This  message 
was  received  with  petulance  by  the  Minister. 

As  soon  as  the  ships  were  under  sail,  the  Consul 
went  down  to  the  Minister  of  Marine  and  Foreign 
Affairs,  attended  by  his  drogoman,  and  by  M.  Gran- 
et as  interpreter,  and  informed  him  that,  as  he,  the 
Minister,  well  knew  the  relations  of  hospitality  sub- 


190  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

sisting  between  him  and  the  late  British  Consul,  he 
would  not  be  surprised  at  all  his  effects  and  con- 
cerns here  being  left  in  his  charge  ;  and  that  in 
consequence  it  was  his  intention  to  hoist  the  flag 
of  the  United  States  at  the  late  British  garden, 
which  had  been  ceded  to  him,  and  generally  to  take 
under  his  care  and  protection  every  thing  that  had 
been  left  behind  by  Mr.  McDonell.  The  Minister 
replied  that  the  Bashaw  would  no  doubt  be  satisfied 
with  such  an  arrangement.  The  Consul  answer- 
ed that  he  thought  he  was  exercising  a  right  in 
doing  so  ;  that  he  only  came  to  announce  that  such 
was  his  intention,  and  to  request  that  he  would  fur- 
nish the  necessary  guardians  for  the  security  of  the 
premises,  &c.  He  remarked  to  him  at  the  same 
time,  that  private  friendships  had  nothing  to  do 
with  public  war ;  that  the  Minister  well  knew 
that  as  an  American,  it  must  be  indifferent  to  the 
Consul  what  the  nature  of  the  relations  of  this  Re- 
gency with  Great  Britain  was  ;  in  short,  that  he 
was  a  friend  to  both  parties ;  that  he  knew 
his  rights  and  should  exercise  them.  The  Minister 
acquiesced,  and  gave  orders  accordingly.  The 
Consul  immediately  gave  orders  to  send  up  the 
flag  and  arms  of  the  United  States  to  the  British 
villa,  and  proceeded  there  himself,  and  took  pos- 
session at  about  four  o'clock. 

At  this  time  an  Algerine  cruiser,  a  small  polac- 
cre  corvette,  was  seen  in  the  offing,  and  the  British 
vessels  in  chase  ;  at  about  a  quarter  before  five 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  191 

they  were  within  musket  range,  and  fast  closing, 
when  they  began  a  constant  fire  upon  the  Algerine, 
who  bore  it  with  uncommon  fortitude,  until  a  quar- 
ter before  six,  when  darkness  screened  him  from 
our  view,  and  the  firing  seemed  to  have  ceased. 
At  five  o'clock  a  shot  was  fired  from  the  marine 
batteries,  and  a  flag  hoisted,  probably  as  a  signal 
that  war  existed.  The  resistance  made  by  this 
Algerine,  for  he  occasionally  returned  the  fire,  was 
really  astonishing,  and  would  do  credit  to  any 
service  ;  it  appeared  that  during  three  quarters  of 
an  hour,  the  British  ships  were  firing  upon  him 
within  half  pistol  shot,  without  compelling  him  to 
surrender. 

February  1st.  This  morning  the  drogoman,  and 
American  servants  arrived  at  the  garden  with  the 
flag  and  arms  of  the  United  States,  which  at  nine 
o'clock,  replaced  those  of  England  over  the  late 
British  Consulate  in  Algiers.  The  drogoman 
brought  the  Consul  a  friendly  message  from  the 
Bashaw,  implying  his  satisfaction  at  his  taking 
possession  of  the  abdicated  premises  of  the  late 
British  Consul,  and  assuring  him  of  full  protection 
in  the  same.  He  added,  however,  that  the  Consul 
of  the  United  States  was  the  only  person  in  Al- 
giers whom  he  would  permit  to  do  so.  The  poor 
Algerine  is  seen  anchored  in  the  bav  totally  dis- 
mantled, and  firing  signals  of  distress.  He  was 
towed  in,  in  the  course  of  the  day.  It  is  reported 
that  he  lost  four  men  killed  and  eight  wounded  : 


192  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

which  small  loss  can  be  accounted  for  only  from 
the  crew  having  run  below.  The  British  disarm- 
ed the  vessel,  took  out  the  commander  and  seven- 
teen Spanish  prisoners,  anchored  her  in  the  bay, 
arid  abandoned  her.  They  are  not  in  view  this 
morning. 

*2d.  The  drogoman  who  had  been  employed  on 
a  message  from  M.  Granet,  respecting  the  Con- 
sulates left  in  his  charge,  returned,  and  reported 
that  the  said  M.  Granet,  not  having  come  to  this 
country  as  Consul  or  Vice-Consul  of  any  nation, 
could  not  be  received  in  any  such  character  in  the 
case  in  question.  That  he  could,  if  he  chose,  re- 
main as  secretary  to  the  Consul,  who  would  be 
regarded  as  the  responsible  person  in  any  case  oc- 
curring relating  to  those  Consulates.  Arrived  an 
Algerine  brig  from  a  cruise,  with  a  small  Spanish 
schooner,  prize  to  the  same. 

3c?.  In  consequence  of  the  message  of  yesterday, 
the  Consul  went  down  to  the  Marine,  attended  by 
his  drogoman,  and  Mr.  Bensamon,  as  interpreter, 
and  represented  to  the  Minister,  that  he  presumed, 
from  the  message  of  yesterday,  that  his  position 
here  had  been  misapprehended  ;  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  render  every  friendly,  independent  service 
in  his  power  to  officers,  and  even  private  subjects 
of  governments  at  peace  and  amity  with  the  Unit- 
ed States,  in  cases  of  emergency  ;  but  that  the  laws 
of  the  United  States  forbade,  on  very  severe  pen- 
alties, his  meddling  with  any  political  affair,  where 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.          193 

the  United  States  are  not  a  party,  and  then  only 
under  the  instructions  of  the  President.  That  he 
should  be  very  happy  to  render  to  the  government 
of  Algiers,  or  to  either  or  all  of  the  august  sove- 
reigns in  question,  any  service  depending  upon 
him,  that  is  consistent  with  his  paramount  duty  ; 
yet  if  such  were  their  desire,  which,  in  this  in- 
stance, could  not  be  the  case,  for  they  did  not  even 
know  that  such  a  person  as  himself  existed,  he 
could  not  accept  of  any  employment  or  commission, 
implying  obedience  or  responsibility  to  any  other 
authority  than  his  own  government.  The  Minister 
remarked  that  so  many  Consulates  ought  not  to 
remain  unrepresented;  to  which  the  Consul  replied, 
that  this  was  a  case  in  which  he  could  not  even 
give  an  opinion.  The  affair  was  compromised  on 
the  above  principles,  namely,  that  M.  Granet  should 
be  regarded  as  secretary  to  the  Consul,  and  i:i  that 
character  be  permitted  to  attend  to  the  affairs  of 
the  Consulates  in  question,  under  the  instructions 
which  he  held,  and  in  case  of  any  difficulty,  which 
is  very  improbable,  the  Consul  should  give  his  ad- 
vice as  a  common  friend. 

Shortly  after  this  interview,  the  Bashaw  sent  a 
most  friendly  message  by  the  drogoman  to  the 
Consul,  thanking  hmi  for  the  arrangement  made 
with  the  Minister,  and  saying  that  he  expected  only, 
as  M.  Granet  was  now  under  the  American  pro- 
tection, that  he,  the  Consul,  would  aid  him  with 
his  advice,  when  wanted,  as  ho  was  anxious  that 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

those  Consulates  should  not  suffer  in  their  affairs, 
through  the  absence  of  their  legal  representative. 

The  Consul  is  now  informed  that  the  British 
Consul  and  Captain  Spencer  would  have  been  ar- 
rested by  the  Algerines  if  they  had  believed  them 
in  earnest. 

\th.  Arrived  a  small  Sardinian  vessel  from  Mar- 
seilles, bringing  private  letters,  newspapers,  &c., 
for  the  Consul.  By  this  vessel  arrived  a  number 
of  packages  of  trees,  plants,  family  stores,  and 
some  valuable  articles  of  merchandise,  intended  for 
the  Neapolitan  present  dfoe  next  spring,  for  the  late 
British  Consul  ;  all  of  which  were  landed  under 
the  franchises  of  this  Consulate,  without  inquiry, 
and  placed  in  safety. 

Wi.  Arrived  in  the  bay,  and  without  communi- 
cating, sailed  the  same  day,  a  Dutch  brig  of  war, 
from  Mahon.  By  this  vessel,  the  Consul  is  in- 
formed of  the  squadron  of  the  United  States  being 
in  that  port. 

lOth.  The  Consul  is  informed,  from  his  ancient 
friend  the  Hasnagee,  that  the  British  Vice-Consul 
at  Oran  having  been  arrested,  and  seals  of  seques- 
tration put,  upon  all  his  property  and  effects  there, 
on  his,  the  Hasnagee's,  representing  to  the  Bashaw 
that  this  person  was  also  the  agent  of  the  Consul 
General  of  the  United  States,  an  express  was 
forthwith  despatched  with  orders  to  set  him  at 
liberty,  and  to  respect  him  as  the  American  Agent. 
The  Consul  made  up  a  packet  of  despatches  to  the 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  195 

Secretary  of  State,  under  cover  to  the  Minister  in 
London,  to  be  forwarded  by  an  imperial  brig  that 
sails  to-morrow  for  Leghorn. 

llth.  Arrived  in  the  bay  a  French  squadron  of 
four  frigates  and  a  sloop  of  war. 

12th.  The  French  squadron  in  the  bay  in  com- 
munication with  their  Consul,  and  at  the  same 
time  arrive  two  Algerine  frigates  from  a  cruise. 
The  French  Commodore  landed,  and  was  refused 
admittance  at  the  palace  with  his  side  arms  !  It 
has  been  omitted  to  remark  before,  that  the 
same  was  refused  to  Captain  Spencer  ;  which 
is  a  new  pretension,  the  Consul  having  introduced 
many  American  officers  to  the  Bashaw,  and  always 
with  their  arms.  In  the  evening,  the  Commodore 
returned  on  board,  and  the  squadron  departed  ; 
they  are  from  Tunis,  and  brought  letters  from 
Doctor  Heap,  Charge  d'Affaires  of  that  Consulate. 

I3th.  The  Consul  is  informed  that  the  Consul  of 
France,  taking  advantge  of  the  actual  state  of  affairs, 
and  of  the  presence  in  the  bay  of  a  squadron  of  his 
nation,  demanded  of  this  government  the  decision  in 
his  favour  of  a  question  respecting  the  right  to  a 
house  and  garden  in  Bona,  the  actual  residence  of 
the  British  Vice-Consul  there,  that  had  been 
seven  years  in  litigation  between  the  French  and 
British  governments  ;  which  was  granted,  and  an 
order  for  their  occupation  by  France  given  ac- 
cordingly. 


196  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

14th.  The  Consul  sent  M.  Bensamon  to  the  offi- 
cers of  this  government  who  are  accessible  to  him, 
to  say  from  the  Consul,  as  a  neutral  friend,  that  in 
his  opinion  they  ought  to  reflect  that  they  are  at 
war  with  a  great  and  powerful  nation ;  that  unless 
they  are  determined  to  push  this  war  to  the  utmost 
extremity,  in  which  case  he  would  not  intrude  any 
counsel  or  advice  whatever,  they  ought,  in  good 
policy,  to  refrain  from  any  measure  that  has  an  ir- 
ritating tendency,  and  may  make  the  breach  wider  ; 
that  the  delivery  to  the  French  Consul  of  the  house 
at  Bona,  under  the  actual  circumstances,  would  be 
regarded  by  Great  Britain  at  least  as  an  aggravation, 
and  might  probably  shut  the  door  to  an  easy  ar- 
rangement of  subsisting  difficulties  ;  that  on  the 
part  of  the  French  Consul,  it  was  a  wide  departure 
from  the  forbearance  and  generosity  expected  from 
all  public  agents  in  similar  cases,  and  would  not, 
in  the  Consul's  opinion,  be  approved  by  his  gov- 
ernment. He  therefore  recommended  to  them,  if 
peace  was  their  object,  to  suspend  this  cession, 
and  to  refrain  from  any  irritating  measure  whatev- 
er, in  the  mean  time. 

15th.  M.  Bensamon  returned,  and  informed  the 
Consul  that  he  had  delivered  his  message  to  the 
Aga,  to  the  Admiral,  and  to  the  Master  of  the  mint, 
who  all  appeared  to  feel  its  force,  and  immediate- 
ly represented  the  case  to  the  Bashaw,  who  ex- 
pressed his  conviction  that  he  had  been  too  hasty, 
and  gave  orders  to  suspend  the  cession  in  question. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  197 

The  Bashaw  and  all  his  ministers  sent  a  most 
friendly  message  to  the  Consul,  thanking  him  for 
his  advice,  and  requesting  him  to  inform  the  Bri- 
tish government  of  their  readiness  to  do  every  thing 
practicable  for  the  renewal  of  peace.  The  Consul, 
with  suitable  compliments,  directed  M.  Bensamon 
to  say  further,  that  if  they  really  desired  peace, 
the  best  way  to  obtain  it,  would  be  to  remove, 
voluntarily,  every  obstacle  to  it,  and  particularly, 
to  send  home  the  Spanish  prisoners  forthwith. 

16th.  Arrived  a  Sardinian  brig  from  Leghorn,  in 
which  came  passengers  Mr.  Carstensen,  Danish 
Consul  General,  and  his  family.  M.  Bensamon 
came  and  informed  the  Consul,  that  his  advice  to 
the  Regency  had  been  kindly  received,  and  that 
the  Minister  of  Marine  and  Foreign  Affairs  wished 
to  see  him  at  one  o'clock.  At  that  hour,  the 
Consul  went  down  to  the  Marine,  attended  by  his 
drogoman,  and  M.  Bensamon  as  interpreter,  and 
had  a  long  private  conference  with  the  Minister 
and  the  Admiral.  They  opened  the  conference  by 
the  complimentary  assurance  that  the  Consul  was 
the  only  man  here^  whom  they  could  prudently 
consult  in  the  present  crisis  of  their  affairs.  He 
repeated  what  he  had  already  said  through  M. 
Bensamon,  which  brought  on  a  discussion  of  all 
the  acts  of  this  government,  which  have  led  to  a 
state  of  actual  hostilities  with  England ;  in  which 
he  spoke  with  the  utmost  freedom,  and  thinks  that 
he  demonstrated  their  errors,  and  proved  the  neces- 


198  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

sity  of  their  adapting  their  policy  to  the  great 
changes  operating  in  the  political  state  of  the  world, 
as  their  pretensions  to  violate  the  rights  of  inde- 
pendent states  would  certainly  no  longer  be  tolerat- 
ed. If  they  really  wished  for  a  renewal  of  peaceful 
relations  with  their  actual  enemy,  he  recommended 
that  they  should  refrain  from  every  demonstration 
of  useless  hostility,  and  as  far  as  was  in  their  power, 
to  remove  all  obstacles  to  a  negotiation. 

He  particularly  urged  that  they  immediately  send 
home  the  Spanish  prisoners,  as  in  his  opinion,  the 
renewal  of  Christian  slavery  here,  was  the  only 
question  in  dispute  of  difficult  adjustment.  He 
assured  them  that  in  his  opinion,  the  question  of 
displaying  the  British  flag  in  town  wrould  not  be 
insisted  on  by  that  government,  on  representations 
being  made  to  them  that  it  was  contrary  to  the 
religious  prejudices  and  feelings  of  the  people  here. 
They  listened  with  great  attention  and  apparent 
complacency,  to  all  these  arguments,  except  that 
relating  to  their  sending  home  the  Spanish  prison- 
ers, which  they  discovered  great  reluctance  to 
agree  to,  and  proposed  that  the  Consul  should  write 
in  their  favour  to  the  British  government.  He 
explained  to  them  the  impossibility  of  such  an  in- 
terference, but  assured  them  that  as  a  neutral  friend, 
he  should  ever  be  ready  to  render  them  any  ser- 
vice in  his  power,  that  was  compatible  with  his 
public  character.  They  requested  him  to  forward 
a  letter  from  the  Bashaw  to  the  British  govern- 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.          199 

ment,  which  he  informed  them  he  would  do  through 
the  Minister  of  the  United  States  in  London,  re- 
minding them  of  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  and  un- 
certainty of  the  mail. 

1 7th.  The  drogornan  brought  a  despatch,  purport- 
ing to  be  from  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  and  addressed 
to  Earl  Bathurst,  which  the  Consul  put  under  cov- 
er to  Mr.  Rush,  with  a  letter  suited  to  the 
occasion.  Yesterday  the  Consul  received  a  letter 
from  his  agent  in  Oran,  who  is  also  the  British 
Vice-Consul  there,  advising  him  of  his  arrest,  and 
the  seizure  of  all  his  property  in  a  manner  the  most 
rigorous.  The  Consul  complained  of  this  violation 
of  the  rights  of  his  agent,  who  is  not  an  English- 
man. The  Minister  replied  that  orders  had  al- 
ready been  sent  several  days  since  to  restore  him  to 
entire  liberty,  as  agent  of  the  Consul  of  the  United 
States,  and  gave  him  a  written  order  for  the  resto- 
ration of  a  brig  that  had  been  seized  on  account  of 
its  bearing  the  British  flag,  on  his  proving  to  the  Bey 
of  that  province,  that  she  is  bond  fide  his  property. 

21  st.  Sailed  a  small  Sardinian  bombard  for 
Marseilles.  By  this  occasion  the  Consul  forward- 
ed the  despatch  from  this  government  above  men- 
tioned, under  cover  to  Mr.  Rush. 

22d.  Appeared  in  the  bay  a  British  line-of-bat- 
tle  ship,  with  a  Vice- Admiral's  flag. 

23d.  The  British  Admiral  still  in  the  bay,  with 
a  frigate  that  joined  during  the  night.  The  Min- 
ister of  Marine  sent  lor  the  Consul,  and  requested 


200 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS. 


him  to  go  off  as  a  common  friend,  to  inquire  of  the 
British  Admiral  the  object  of  his  mission  here,  and 
assure  him  of  the  pacific  dispositions  of  this  gov- 
ernment. The  Consul  requested  written  notes  for 
his  guidance  and  instruction  on  this  delicate  subject. 
The  Minister  replied,  that  as  the  Consul  was  well 
acquainted  with  all  the  questions  in  dispute  in  the 
case  in  question,  they  left  it  to  his  own  honour  and 
discretion  to  say  what  he  thought  proper. 

The  Consul  then  went  off,  attended  by  his  dro- 
goman,  M.  Bensamon  as  interpreter,  and  Mustapha 
Rais,  Captain  of  the  Port.  On  arriving  on  board 
the  Revenge  at  two  o'clock,  he  was  politely  re- 
ceived by  Vice-Admiral  Sir  Harry  B.  Neale,  Cap- 
tain Spencer,  of  the  Nayad,  and  the  late  Bri- 
tish Consul.  Having  nothing  to  communicate, 
except  the  expressed  pacific  dispositions  of  this 
government,  his  having  forwarded  for  them  a  -des- 
patch to  Lord  Bathurst,  through  the  American  le- 
gation at  London,  and  the  safe  condition  of  the 
late  British  Consul's  establishment  and  effects  left 
in  his  charge,  he  confined  his  mission  to  inquiring 
the  intentions  of  the  British  Admiral,  who  very 
frankly  communicated  them  in  writing  as  follows : 
41  Great  Britain  considers  herself  at  this  moment 
as  being  at  war  with  Algiers.  The  Admiral  has 
no  instructions,  except  to  enforce  a  rigid  blockade, 
and  to  proceed  to  all  measures  of  hostility,  until 
the  Dey  shall  consent  to  sign  the  declaration  which 
was  submitted  to  him  by  His  Majesty's  Agent  and 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  201 

Consul  General."  After  settling,  as  he  was  au- 
thorized to  do  with  Vice-Admiral  Neale,  that  flags 
should  be  reciprocally  respected  in  case  of  active 
hostilities,  for  which  the  Consul  pledged  himself 
on  the  part  of  this  government,  and  receiving  the 
Admiral's  thanks  for  his  attention  to  British  inter- 
ests in  Algiers,  he  returned  on  shore  at  sunset. 
He  sent,  through  his  interpreter  and  the  Captain 
of  the  Port,  the  result  of  his  mission  to  the  Ba- 
shaw, with  a  sealed  letter  from  the  Admiral,  which 
he  assured  him  was  to  the  same  effect. 

24//£.  A  cutter  has  joined  the  British  squadron 
in  the  bay  during  the  night.  The  Consul  being 
confined  to  his  bed  by  a  severe  nervous  headacli, 
could  not  attend  a  conference  with  the  Minister  of 
Marine  as  was  requested  by  a  messenger,  who  re- 
turned and  informed  him  from  the  Minister,  that 
two  fishing  boats  had  been  seized  and  detained  by 
the  British  ships  during  the  night,  that  he  dared 
not  send  a  boat  off  for  fear  of  detention  also,  with- 
out the  interference  of  the  Consul,  and  requested 
that  he  would  write  to  the  Admiral.  He,  being 
too  unwell  to  write,  offered  to  pledge  himself  for 
the  safety  of  the  Algerine  flag,  or  if  they  preferred 
it,  he  offered  them  his  own,  which  was  accepted. 
The  message  sent  off  by  the  drogoman  of  the 
United  States,  the  Captain  of  the  Port,  and  M. 
Bensamon,  was,  as  he  is  informed  from  the  Min- 
ister, an  agreement  to  every  thing  demanded,  ex- 
cept the  right  to  display  the  flag  in  town,  which 
26  * 


202  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS, 

they  have  referred,  by  their  despatch,  to  the  British 
Ministry,  and  which,  rather  than  cede,  they  appear 
willing  to  take  all  the  chances  of  a  war  with  Great 
Britain. 

25th.  This  day  the  Admiral  left  his  anchorage 
in  the  hay. 

The  Consul,  finding  that  a  majority  of  the  Al- 
gerine  cabinet  are  in  favour  of  peace  with  Great 
Britain,  determined  to  use  all  his  influence  in  pro- 
moting this  object.  He  therefore  instructed  M. 
Bensamon  to  warn  the  Minister  of  Marine  and  the 
Admiral  of  the  danger  of  their  position  ;  to  repre- 
sent to  them  that  it  was  ridiculous  for  them  to 
pretend  to  contend  in  arms  with  Great  Britain; 
and  that  if  the  questions  in  dispute,  which  were  of 
easy  adjustment  now,  once  became  national,  this 
war  must  necessarily  terminate  in  the  ruin  of  Al- 
giers. These  hints  were  kindly  received. 

21th.  This  morning  the  Consul  met  the  Aga  by 
appointment,  for  the  ostensible  object  of  legalizing 
a  contract,  when  he  exposed  to  him  with  the  ut- 
most freedom  the  dangerous  position  in  which  Al- 
giers stood  ;  that  there  was  no  proportion  in  the 
strength  of  the  parties  ;  that  there  was  no  dis- 
honour in  ceding  to  superior  force ;  and  that  if 
Great  Britain  once  engaged  in  this  war,  no  man 
could  pretend  to  say  what  conditions  of  peace  she 
might  require  of  Algiers.  The  Consul  had  the 
satisfaction  to  find  that  the  Aga,  who  is  really  a 
man  of  merit,  understood  him  exactly.  He  ex- 


SKETCHES  OP  ALCJ1I 

pressed  his  wish  that  peace  with  Great  Britain 
might  be  obtained  through  a  cession  of  the  terms 
d-nnnded,  and  he  conjured  the  Consul,  by  every 
tiii.i'4  he  held  dear,  to  persevere  in  the  good  work 
which  he  had  undertaken,  by  which,  in  his  opin- 
ion, he  would  become  the  saviour  of  the  country, 
an;!  attach  him,  the  Aga,  personally  to  him  forever. 
-  The  Aga  begged  that  the  Consul  would  seek 
some  pretext  for  an  interview  with  the  Bashaw,  as 
he  assured  him  that  neither  he,  nor  any  other  person 
in  Algiers,  dared  to  represent  the  truth  to  him. 
The  Consul  consequently  sent  to  ask  an  audience  of 
the  Minister  of  Marine,  whom,  it  being  Friday,  he 
knew  to  be  in  the  palace,  on  the  pretext  of  con- 
sulting him  respecting  his  own  personal  safety,  in 
case  of  an  attack,  it  having  been  ascertained  that 
the  house  which  he  inhabits  is  mined  by  a  powder 
magazine.  This  Minister  had  evidently  received 
new  impressions,  and  the  conference  was  void  of 
interest,  or  any  useful  erjfect.  From  this  interview, 
the  Consul  passed  to  a  requested  audience  of  the 
Bashaw.  His  Highness  received  him  with  much 
civility,  and  affecting  a  gay,  jovial  humour,  joked 
him  on  his  apprehension  of  danger  from  shells, 
which,  according  to  his  Highness'  notions,  are 
very  harmless  baubles.  The  Consul,  alleging  his 
solicitude,  as  representing  here  perhaps  the  most 
friendly  power,  for  the  danger  which  he  thought 
he  saw  pending  over  Algiers,  advanced  with  en- 
tire freedom  the  same  arguments  which  he  had  so 
successfully  used  with  the  Aga. 


204  SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

These  were  replied  to  by  others  drawn  from  the 
most  absurd  notions  of  fatalism,  and  a  ridiculous 
fatuity.  The  Bashaw  remarked  that  the  Consul 
ought,  through  his  studies  of  ancient  history,  to  be 
acquainted  with  the  "  fate  of  Nimrod,  the  most 
powerful  monarch  that  ever  existed,  and  who  per- 
ished by  the  sting  of  a  fly  ;"  and  then  raising  his 
turban,  he  affirmed  that  the  destiny  of  every  man 
was  indelibly  imprinted  by  the  hand  of  Allah  upon 
his  front.  The  Dey  even  declared,  that  though 
he  wished  for  an  honourable  peace  with  England, 
yet  to  obtain  it  he  would  never  consent  to  the 
return  of  the  late  British  Consul  in  that  character 
here.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  gentleman 
in  question  has  a  large  family  of  small  children,  is 
passionately  fond  of  gardening  and  rural  pursuits, 
and  has  never  been  noted  for  any  abuse  of  power 
here.  This  prince,  imbued  with  notions  of  fatal- 
ism, must  have  also  listened  to  some  fatal  counsel. 
The  truth  is,  that  all  argument  is  lost  upon  him, 
and  he  will  probably  run  wilfully  into  ruin.  On 
this  occasion,  the  Bashaw  assured  the  Consul  in 
the  most  impressive  manner,  of  his  confidence  in 
the  integrity  of  his  intentions,  and  that  in  any 
event  whatever,  he  might  rely  upon  all  the  protec- 
tion in  the  power  of  his  government  to  give  to  his 
person  and  every  thing  under  his  charge;  these 
assurances  have  also  been  repeatedly  made  by  all 
the  ministers. 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.          205 

March  C2d.  A  frigate  from  the  blockading  squad- 
ron came  in  under  a  flag  of  trure,  and  sent  a  boat 
in.  The  object  of  this  flag  appears  to  have  been 
only  to  land  a  negro  woman  taken  in  a  prize. 

Two  brothers,  who  had  served  in  the  Levant,  be- 
lieving themselves  skilful  in  the  composition  of  fire- 
works, on  their  first  essay  of  a  rocket  of  their  in- 
vention, blew  themselves  up  this  day,  and  mutilated 
a  third  person. 

\th.  Arrived  a  French  frigate  from  Toulon. 
From  some  mistake  respecting  the  character  and 
intentions  of  this  vessel,  she  was  fired  into  by  the 
British  Admiral. 

7th.  Arrived  a  French  schooner  of  war  from 
Toulon,  after  examination  by  the  blockading  squad- 
ron. The  squadron  has  been  fluctuating  in  num- 
ber during  several  days  past  ;  to-day  it  consists  of 
the  Admiral  and  six  frigates.  This  day  Sidi 
Hamedan,  nephew  to  the  master  of  the  mint,  and 
a  principal  merchant  here,  called  on  the  Consul  in 
the  country,  from  the  Aga  and  his  uncle,  to  ask 
his  opinion  as  to  what  they  ought  to  do  in  the 
present  dangerous  crisis  of  their  affairs  ;  the  Ba- 
shaw remaining  inflexible  in  his  determination  to 
brave  the  power  of  Great  Britain.  The  Consul 
referred  him  to  opinions  which  he  had  already 
given,  and  as  to  the  inflexibility  of  the  Bashaw, 
he  recommended  a  deputation  of  the  most  illustri- 
ous and  respectable  characters  in  the  city,  to  con- 
jure his  Highness  to  listen  to  reason,  and  spare  the 


206  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS, 

lives  and  fortunes  of  his  subjects,  by  a  timely  ar- 
rangement with  a  power  that  they  are  incapable  of 
resisting.  The  Consul  is  informed  by  this  person, 
that  the  letter  from  the  Bashaw  to  the  British  gov- 
ernment, which  he  lately  forwarded  at  his  request, 
contains  .  the  offensive  condition  relative  to  the  re- 
turn here  of  the  late  British  Consul.  He  express- 
ed to  him  his  indignation  at  being  thus  deceived ; 
it  being  contrary  to  an  express  stipulation.  He 
declared  that  if  this  government  expected  him  to 
serve  them  in  their  affairs,  they  must  treat  him 
with  candour  and  confidence,  for  that  otherwise  he 
should  confine  himself  to  his  own,  and  no  more 
interfere  with  theirs ;  it  being  contrary  to  his 
principles  and  to  his  duty,  to  serve  one  party  to 
the  prejudice  of  the  other. 

8th.  It  is  reported  to  the  Consul  that  the  Aga 
disapproves  of  the  deputation  recommended  yes- 
terday, as  being  likely  to  irritate  the  Bashaw's 
temper,  and  confirm  him  in  his  obstinate  determi- 
nation. 

Wth.  The  mission  of  the  French  ships  here  is 
shrouded  in  mystery,  though  it  is  pretended  to  be 
serious.  The  truth  is,  that  the  French  policy  here, 
since  1815,  has  ever  been  of  so  mawkish  a  charac- 
ter, and  conducted  in  so  scandalous  a  manner,  as 
to  inspire  little  interest,  and  no  confidence. 

The  Consul  delivered  a  packet  of  despatches  for 
Mr.  Rush,  under  cover  to  Baring,  Brothers,  &  Co. 
London,  to  the  Consul  of  France,  to  go  by  the 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  207 

Trench  schooner  now  in  the  bay,  whose  departure 
is  announced  for  to-morrow. 

^.^lh.  Sailed  the  French  frigate  and  schooner, 
the  latter  for  Toulon.  On  board  of  the  former 
were  embarked  the  Spanish  prisoners,  who  have 
bec;i  delivered  to  the  French  Consul,  as  prisoners 
oi'  war,  to  be  accounted  for  on  the  principles  of 
exchange,  if  the  war  continues  with  Spain.  As 
the  Consul  is  informed,  the  Regency  agrees  to  ac- 
cept the  mediation  of  France  in  her  differences  with 
Spain,  on  the  condition  that  her  claims  against  that 
power  are  recognised.  It  has  been  omitted  to  re- 
mark,that  on  the  tenth,  current,  the  Consul,  having 
received  information  that  the  British  Vice-Consul, 
and  sundry  British  subjects  at  Bona,  had  b^en 
closely  confined  in  irons,  and  in  every  respect 
treated  with  the  utmost  rigour,  sent  his  drogoman 
to  remonstrate  against  this  unnecessary  severity. 
The  drogoman  returned  immediately  with  a  civil 
message,  importing  that  the  severity  complained  of 
was  unauthorized  ;  that  an  express  had  been  des- 
patched to  Bona  to  order  the  immediate  release  of 
the  persons  in  question,  and  that  they  be  treated 
with  all  the  indulgence  compatible  with  their  con- 
dition of  prisoners  of  war. 

2°2d.  The  Consul  despatched  by  express  to  Tan- 
gier, through  the  agency  of  the  Aga,  despatches 
to  the  Secretary  of  State,  Nos.  80  and  81,  with  a 
transcript  of  this  Journal  from  January  tenth  to  the 
tvventv-lirst,  current,  under  cover  to  the  Consul  in 


208  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

Tangier,  to  be  transmitted  by  way  of  Gibraltar. 
A  schooner  joined  the  blockading  squadron  last 
night,  and  this  afternoon  the  Admiral  anchored  in 
the  bay  under  a  flag  of  truce,  and  sent  a  boat  in 
with  despatches  for  the  Bashaw. 

23d.  The  British  Admiral  still  at  anchor  in  the 
bay  under  a  flag  of  truce ;  he  sent  a  boat  in  this 
evening,  but  nothing  is  known  respecting  his  pro- 
positions of  either  yesterday  or  to-day.  Arrived 
in  the  bay  a  Dutch  frigate  from  Mahon,  by  which 
the  Consul  received  letters  from  Capt.  Turner,  of 
the  United  States'  schooner  Nonsuch,  which  is  the 
first  direct  information  he  has  received  from  the 
United  States'  squadron,  stationed  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, since  May  of  last  year. 

2%th.  Several  flags  passed  this  day  between  the 
British  Admiral  and  the  port.  The  jealousy  of 
the  Bashaw,  in  consequence  of  finding  himself  in  a 
solitary  minority  on  the  question  in  dispute  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  Algiers,  has  risen  to  such 
a  height,  that  he  will  not  employ  any  competent  in- 
terpreter ;  and  as  he  affects  to  believe  the  Admiral 
unauthorized  either  to  make  war  or  treat  of  peace, 
there  appears  to  be  a  mutual  misunderstanding. 
In  this  jealousy  of  the  Bashaw,  the  Consul  ap- 
pears to  be  comprehended.  The  Consul  received 
from  the  British  Admiral,  through  this  government, 
a  London  "  Courier,"  of  the  tenth  instant,  which 
appears  to  have  been  sent  for  the  purpose  of  prov- 
ing that  he  has  really  received  instructions  from 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  209 

his  government  as  late  as  that  date,  and  which 
proves  also,  that  the  Algerines  doubt  his  word,  and 
the  authenticity  of  his  documents. 

25/A.  Two  flags  passed  this  day  between  the 
British  Admiral  and  the  port.  The  only  compe- 
tent interpreter  here,  M.  Bensarnon,  was  not  em- 
ployed, as  is  supposed,  for  the  above  mentioned 
reasons.  A  reciprocal  misapprehension  certainly  ex- 
ists, in  consequence,  as  the  most  absurd  reports  are 
circulated. 

26th.  A  flag  was  sent  in  by  the  British  Admiral  ; 
and  it  is  reported  on  sufficient  authority,  that  the 
message  was  to  inform  the  Regency  distinctly,  and 
once  for  all,  that  he  was  authorized  to  treat  of 
peace  with  them,  and  appointed  Saturday  for  re- 
ceiving their  answer.  The  Bashaw  replied  that 
he  was  ready  to  treat  with  the  Admiral,  on  his 
exhibiting  to  him  sufficient  authority  from  his 


sovereign. 


27th.  A  flag  was  sent  in  by  the  British  Admiral, 
with  a  Captain  of  the  squadron  as  his  representa- 
tive. After  keeping  this  gentleman  waiting  above 
three  hours,  the  Bashaw  refused  to  see  him,  de- 
claring that  he  would  treat  with  the  Admiral  in 
person  only,  and  provided  that  he  was  duly  au- 
thorized. The  Regency  have  constantly  refused  to 
send  commissioners  on  board  the  British  squadron. 

28^A.  The  Admiral  landed,  and  had  a  conference 
with  the  Bashaw.  As  it  is  reported,  the  latter 
continued  to  express  his  doubts  of  the  authority 
27 


210  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

of  the  former  from  his  sovereign  to  either  make 
war  upon  him,  or  to  conclude  peace  with  •him. 
They  finally  agreed,  however,  upon  all  the  condi- 
tions of  peace,  except  the  return  to  his  post  of  the 
late  British  Consul  here,  which  the  Bashaw  posi- 
tively and  constantly  refused  to  agree  to.  The 
Admiral  wrent  on  board,  and  in  the  evening  sent  in 
another  flag. 

29th.  A  flag  was  sent  in  this  day  from  the  Brit- 
ish Admiral,  on  the  return  of  which  on  board,  he 
weighed  anchor  and  left  the  bay. 

3(M  M.  Bensamon  came  and  informed  the 
Consul,  that  yesterday  the  Bashaw  sent  for  him, 
and  directed  him  to  translate  the  British  Admiral's 
letters.  The  first  announced  his  being  authorized  to 
treat  of  peace  with  the  Regency,  and  requested 
that  Commissioners  might  be  sent  on  board  of  the 
Revenge  for  that  purpose.  Refused.  The  second 
announced,  that  through  his  great  desire  to  obtain 
the  object  of  his  mission,  he  had  commissioned  a 
captain  of  his  squadron,  and  sent  him  on  shore 
with  the  necessary  powers  to  treat  with  his  High- 
ness. Refused.  The  third  was  after  his  return 
on  board  from  the  conference  with  the  Bashaw. 
It  expressed  his  mortification  at  not  having  achieved 
peace  ;  that  the  refusal  of  the  Bashaw  to  receive 
back  the  late  British  Consul,  is  a  new  insult  to  his 
government  ;  hopes  that  on  reflection,  the  Bashaw 
will  send  off  an  answer  favourable  to  the  renewal 
of  peace,  which  he  would  wait  for  until  the  next 
day. 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  211 

The  Bashaw  directed  M.  Bensamon  to  write  to 
the  British  Admiral  on  the  back  of  one  of  his  own 
letters,  under  his  dictation,  which,  as  he  reported 
it,  was  in  substance  as  follows.  That  he  had  not 
declared  war  against  England,  and  does  not  be- 
lieve that  he  had  given  any  just  cause  for  its  being 
made  by  her  against  him  ;  that  he  was  desirous  of 
the  restoration  of  peacet  and  willingly  agreed  to 
the  terms  that  had  been  propounded  to  him  by  the 
Admiral,  but  that  he  would  never,  on  any  account 
whatever,  consent  to  receive  back  here  the  late 
British  Consul,  Mr.  McDonell.  That  he  had 
just  received  information  by  express,  of  an  attack 
made  on  the  fifteenth  instant  by  two  British  frigates, 
on  his  town  and  port  of  Bona,  in  which  a  neutral 
vessel  was  captured,  much  damage  done,  and  sev- 
eral of  his  subjects  killed  and  wounded ;  which 
conduct  he  thought  did  not  comport  with  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Admiral  in  conference  with  him  the 

o       o 

day  before.  This  letter  was  written  in  bad 
English,  signed  by  the  Bashaw,  and  by  his  ex- 
press order  enveloped  in  a  piece  of  dirty  paper, 
and  directed  to  the  Admiral.  The  articles  sent 
out  for  signature  by  the  British  government  are  the 
same  as  those  first  sent,  with  a  modification,  which 
relinquishes  the  right  of  displaying  their  flag  in 
the  city  of  Algiers  ;  with  a  separate  article  con- 
firming the  convention  entered  into  here  by  Lord 
Exmouth  in  1816,  and  renouncing  forever  the 
pretension  to  reduce  any  Christian  captive  to 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS. 

slavery  ;  and  guarantying  the  personal  safety  of  all 
British  subjects  within  the  territory  of  Algiers. 

After  making  due  allowance  for  the  arrogant 
petulance  of  barbarians,  and  for  their  ignorance  of 
the  forms  of  diplomatic  intercourse  with  other 
powers,  the  tameness  exhibited  by  the  British 
Admiral  in  this  negotiation,  offers  but  a  very  slen- 
der guaranty  for  an  honourable  settlement  of  the 
actual  war  between  Great  Britain  and  Algiers. 

April  5th.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay  a 
Neapolitan  frigate,  after  communicating  with  the 
blockading  squadron,  with  a  Consul  for  Algiers. 

The  Neapolitan  Consul  landed  this  day.  The 
Consul  offered  to  this  person,  Signer  Magliolo, 
the  hospitality  of  his  house,  until  his  own  estab- 
lishment is  ready,  which  is  accepted.  The  Con- 
sul is  informed  that  the  Bashaw  has  finally  yielded 
to  the  solicitations  of  the  French  Consul,  and  di- 
rected that  the  house  and  garden  at  Bona  be  given 
up  to  him. 

18^/i.  Early  this  morning,  a  French  brig  of  war, 
that  had  passed  the  blockading  squadron  in  the 
night,  appeared  in  the  bay,  and  a  British  frigate  in 
chase  ;  at  half  past  seven,  the  frigate  fired  several 
shots,  when  the  brig  tacked,  and  stood  off  to  sea 
after  the  British  ships. 

20^.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  a  Dutch 
corvette  from  Mahon,  after  communicating  with 
the  blockading  squadron.  The  Consul  is  informed 
by  this  arrival,  of  the  departure  ot  the  ships  of  the 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

United  States  from  that  port  sometime  since,  for 
Gibraltar. 

There  is  a  strange  partiality  observed  by  the 
blockading  squadron  respecting  the  entry  of  public 
vessels  into  this  bay,  which  seems  irreconcileable 
with  the  laws  and  usages  of  war. 

May  9th.  A  frigate  from  the  blockading  squadron 
sent  in  a  despatch  for  the  Bashaw  by  a  flag. 

\0lh.  Arrived  a  French  schooner  of  war  from 
Toulon  in  four  days,  after  communicating  with  the 
blockading  squadron.  By  this  vessel  the  Consul 
received  private  letters  and  newspapers  from  his 
correspondents  in  Marseilles. 

12th.  It  is  reported  to  the  Consul  on  sufficient 
authority,  that  the  letter  received  by  the  Bashaw 
on  the  ninth  instant,  is  from  the  British  Admiral, 
who,  having  received  fresh  instructions  from  his 
government,  again  offers  the  conditions  of  peace 
which  have  been  so  often  rejected  by  this  Regency ; 
that  the  Bashaw  immediately  dictated  a  reply,  by 
which,  as  heretofore,  he  agrees  to  every  thing  pro- 
posed, except  the  return  hither  of  the  late  British 
Consul,  which  he  refuses  on  any  conditions  what- 
soever. A  flag  was  sent  in,  and  received  this  re- 
ply at  three  o'clock  this  afternoon.  The  Bashaw 
continues  to  doubt  the  British  Admiral's  authority 
to  treat  with  him,  and  in  this  absurd  belief  he  is 
countenanced  by  those  who  certainly  know  better ! 
The  commander  and  officers  of  the  French  schoon- 
er in  the  port  breakfasted  and  spent  the  day  with 
the  Consul  in  the  country. 


214          SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

13th.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  after 
communicating  with  the  blockading  squadron,  a 
Neapolitan  frigate,  in  eight  days  from  Naples.  By 
this  vessel,  the  Consul  received  a  friendly  letter, 
with  files  of  London  papers,  from  the  Honourable 
Captain  Spencer  of  the  British  frigate  Nayad,  be- 
fore this  port. 

I6th.  The  commander  and  officers  of  the  Nea- 
politan frigate  in  the  bay  visited  the  Consul,  and 
breakfasted  with  him  in  the  country.  The  Consul 
of  Naples  remitted  officially  to  the  Consul  a  copy 
of  a  letter  from  his  government  to  the  Consul  of 
the  United  States  in  Naples,  by  order  of  his  Si- 
cilian Majesty,  expressive  of  his  thanks  for  civili- 
ties to  his  officers,  and  other  services  by  the  Consul 
in  Algiers. 

18th.  The  Consul  completed  a  copy  of  this 
Journal  from  the  twenty-first  of  March  last  to  this 
date,  which  he  despatched,  under  cover  to  the 
Minister  in  London,  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  to 
be  sent  to  Marseilles,  by  the  Neapolitan  frigate  in 
the  bay. 

20th.  Delivered  the  above  despatches  to  the 
Neapolitan  Consul,  to  be  confided  to  the  Chevalier 
Balramo,  commanding  his  Sicilian  Majesty's  fri- 
gate in  the  bay,  bound  to  Marseilles. 

Sailed  the  French  schooner  of  war,  the  Torch. 
Arrived,  and  communicated  with  the  Consul  of 
Holland,  a  frigate  and  sloop  of  war  of  that  nation. 
By  this  occasion,  the  Consul  received  letters  from 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIK1.  -  I  f  i 

Commodore  Creighton  from  Mahon,  and  through 
the  politeness  of  the  British  Admiral,  many  private 
letters,  newspapers,  and  a  box  of  books,  brought 
by  him  from  Marseilles,  and  put  on  board  of  the 
Dutch  sloop  in  the  bay.  Amongst  these  letters 
were  three  from  the  Minister  in  London,  of  the 
nineteenth  and  twenty-third  of  March,  and  fourth 
of  April  last.  The  Consul  communicated,  by  M. 
Bensamon,  to  the  Aga  and  to  the  Admiral,  a  trans- 
lation into  Arabic  of  the  letter  just  received  from 
the  Minister  in  London,  which  exposes  the  bad 
faith  of  this  government  towards  him,  when  they 
engaged  him  to  transmit  their  letter  to  the  British 
government. 

2lst.  Sailed  the  Neapolitan  frigate  for  Mar- 
seilles. M.  Bensamon  returned  this  day  with  the 
thanks  of  the  Aga  and  the  Admiral,  for  the  com- 
munication made  to  them  yesterday  by  the  Consul, 
and  assurances  of  their  full  confidence  in  his  in- 
tegrity and  honourable  motives  of  conduct,  and  of 
their  entire  concurrence  in  opinion  with  him  res- 
pecting the  actual  war.  The  Aga  regretted  that 
the  Consul's  advice  had  not  been  followed  at  the 
time  ;  but  now,  considering  the  obstinate  character 
of  the  Bashaw,  he  determines  to  leave  him  to  his 
own  counsel,  and  plainly  insinuates  his  expectation, 
if  not  his  wish,  that  he  may  fail  in  his  unreasona- 
ble pretensions. 

C29th.  This  day  the  Ramadan  terminates,  and 
is  held  by  all  Mussulmans  as  a  high  festival.  The 


216  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

Consul  went  down  to  the  Marine,  to  pay  his  res- 
pects to  the  Minister,  as  is  customary  on  the  occa- 
sion, attended  by  his  drogoman,  and  by  M.  Granet, 
who  has  been  protected  by  this  Consulate,  in  quali- 
ty of  the  Consul's  secretary,  since  the  departure  of 
the  late  British  Consul.  The  Minister  received 
him  with  the  cordial  civility  and  attention  which 
indicate  respect  and  consideration.  He  inquired 
whether  there  were  now  any  American  ships  of 
war  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  why  they  had  so 
long  ceased  to  visit  Algiers,  as  it  was  formerly 
customary  for  them  to  do.  The  Consul  replied, 
that  the  American  squadron  had  lately  been  reliev- 
ed on  this  station,  and  that  he  was  informed  by 
letters  from  the  Commodore,  that  the  blockade  had 
hitherto  prevented  him  from  visiting  Algiers  lately, 
but  that  he  had  determined  either  to  come,  or  send 
a  ship  here  in  the  first  week  in  June  next.  The 
Minister  remarked,  that  the  blockade  ought  not  to 
be  an  obstacle  to  his  coming,  as  the  British  would 
certainly  respect  our  flag.  He  discovered  a  great 
desire  to  enter  into  a  discussion  of  affairs  relating 
to  the  actual  war,  but  this  the  Consul  studiously 
evaded. 

June  3d.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  the 
United  States'  sloop  Erie,  Captain  Deacon,  from 
Mahon,  with  despatches  from  Commodore  Creigh- 
ton,  and  was  saluted  as  usual.  On  learning  the 
state  of  things  here,  and  by  advice  of  the  Consul, 
Captain  Deacon  determined  to  communicate.  At 


SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS.  217 

three  o'clock,  he  landed,  with  the  Consul,  and 
was  saluted  with  five  guns,  as  is  customary.  The 
Consul  sent  the  drogoman  to  inform  the  Bashaw 
that  if  it  was  agreeable  to  him,  Captain  Deacon 
wished  to  have  the  honour  of  paying  his  respects 
to  his  Highness.  To  this  the  Bashaw  sent  a  very 
civil  message  in  reply,  expressive  of  his  satisfac- 
tion at  the  proposal,  and  fixing  one  o'clock  the  next 
day  for  receiving  the  American  commander  and  his 
officers. 

4^/t.  At  one  o'clock,  the  Consul  proceeded  to  the 
Casauba,  and  presented  Captain  Deacon,  and  a 
number  of  the  officers  of  the  Erie  to  the  Bashaw, 
who  received  them  with  every  demonstration  of 
the  most  cordial  civility.  On  his  inquiring  the 
news,  the  Consul  informed  him  of  the  disaster  of 
Governor  M'Carthy,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa, 
and  that  it  was  reported  in  Mahon,  that  Sir  Harry 
Neale  was  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  bomb  vessels  to 
attack  Algiers.  The  Bashaw  inquired  if  the  Consul 
had  received  any  intelligence  from  London  respect- 
ing the  letter  which  he  had  forwarded  from  this 
government  to  Earl  Bathurst.  He  replied  that  the 
letter  was  duly  delivered,  and  that  his  own  letter, 
written  to  the  American  Minister  there  at  the  same 
time,  had  also  been  communicated  to  Lord  Ba- 
thurst at  his  request,  who  expressed  to  the  Minis- 
ter, his  dissatisfaction  at  the  first,  and  his  surprise 
that  it  did  not  correspond  with  the  second.  The 
Bashaw  abruptly  inquired  what  the  Consul  had 
28 


213 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 


written.  He  answered,  what  he  had  been  request- 
ed to  write  by  his  Minister.  The  Bashaw  com- 
plained of  the  treatment  he  had  received  from  the 
British  government,  and  particularly,  of  alleged 
disrespect  to  him  in  not  answering  his  letters  ;  he 
repeatedly  asked  the  Consul's  opinion  of  the  ques- 
tions in  dispute,  and  seemed  very  desirous  of  dis- 
cussing all  the  causes  of  the  actual  war.  The 
Consul,  having  no  confidence  in  the  interpreter  on 
this  occasion,  pleaded  his  incompetency  to  give 
opinions,  or  to  discuss  such  questions.  On  this 
visit,  no  objection  was  made  to  Captain  Deacon 
and  his  officers  wearing  their  swords  in  the  Ba- 
shaw's presence. 

8th.  The  Consul  represented  his  actual  situation 
here,  which  involves  much  attention  and  responsi- 
bility to  Captain  Deacon,  and  requested  that  he 
would  permit  a  young  gentleman  of  his  command, 
of  good  morals,  and  qualified  as  a  clerk,  to  reside 
with  him  while  the  present  state  of  affairs  endures. 
He  accordingly  gave  an  order  to  Midshipman  J. 
H.  Pleasanton  to  report  himself  to  him,  and  to 
remain  attached  to  this  Consulate  until  further  or- 
ders. Sailed  the  United  States'  ship  Erie  for  Tu- 
nis and  Tripoli,  and  wras  spoken  with  in  the  offing 
by  a  ship  of  the  blockading  squadron.  During  the 
visit  of  the  Erie  here,  the  officers  of  the  Algerine 
government  have  behaved  themselves  with  much 
civility  and  attention. 


SKETCHES  OF   ALGIERS.  219 

The  Consul  having  received,  as  a  present 
from  Captain  Deacon,  a  very  neat  officer's  rifle,  of 
national  manufacture,  offered  it,  through  M.  Bensa- 
mon,  to  the  Aga,  who  is  a  most  unexceptionable 
character,  and  very  fond  of  arms.  The  Aga  replied, 
that  he  held  the  compliment  of  a  present  from  the 
American  Consul  in  very  great  estimation,  but  it 
being  well  known  that  he  had  adopted  the  Consul's 
opinions  respecting  the  actual  war  with  Great  Bri- 
tain in  their  whole  extent,  he  wished  that  the  rifle 
might  be  sent  to  him  privately. 

July  9th.  During  the  last  week,  the  blockading 
squadron  of  two  frigates,  has  been  successively  aug- 
mented by  the  daily  arrival  of  vessels,  in  a  manner 
that  indicates  a  general  rendezvous  given  off  here  to 
all  the  ships  of  the  British  Mediterranean  squadron, 
at  about  this  period.  This  morning,  a  vessel,  that 
may  be  a  store-ship  or  a  bomb,  towed  by  a  steam 
vessel,  that  may  also  be  a  bomb,  joined  the  block- 
ading squadron.  At  evening,  there  were  nine  sail 
in  sight.  On  the  seventh  instant  a  Dutch  sloop  of 
war,  and  a  brig  appeared  in  the  bay  ;  the  latter, 
apparently  by  permission,  communicated  wTith  their 
Consul,  but  gave  no  intelligence. 

Wth.  This  morning,  the  British  Admiral  in  the 
Revenge  was  seen  anchored  in  the  bay  ;  he  ap- 
pears to  have  arrived  in  the  night,  unperceived  by 
the  blockading  squadron.  He  left  his  anchorage  at 
seven  o'clock,  and  joined  the  other  ships  in  the 
offing.  The  weather  very  foggy,  and  wind  light. 


220  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

It  appears  that  the  whole  British  force  is  not  yet 
arrived.  This  morning  the  Algerines  manoeuvred 
their  flotilla  of  gun-boats  in  presence  of  the  Ad- 
miral. 

llth.  Early  this  morning,  the  Admiral  anchored 
in  the  bay,  at  about  three  miles  distance  from  the 
marine  batteries,  as  near  as  it  could  be  estimated 
from  this  position,  and  successively  three  frigates 
anchored  in  a  double  chequered  line  on  each  quar- 
ter, south  of  the  Revenge,  at  distances  of  about  a 
cable's  length.  Early  this  morning,  a  French 
schooner  of  war  appeared  in  the  bay,  and  saluted 
the  Admiral,  but  was  not  permitted  to  communicate 
with  Algiers.  In  the  evening,  what  appeared  to 
be  a  bomb  or  store-ship,  was  tovved  in  by  the 
steam  vessel,  and  anchored,  but  not  in  position. 
The  Algerines  manoeuvred  a  flotilla  of  twenty- 
seven  gun-boats  in  presence  of  their  enemy. 

12th.  A  frigate  anchored  with  the  squadron  in 
the  bay  this  morning.  They  appear  to  be  employ- 
ed in  taking  angles,  and  are  probably  waiting  for 
the  arrival  of  bomb  vessels.  A  cutter  was  detach- 
ed and  anchored  rather  far  in  advance  towards  the 
entrance  of  the  port.  This  evening  the  Algerines 
sent  out  their  flotilla  to  manoeuvre  as  usual,  and 
judging  the  cutter  within  their  reach,  fired  on  her, 
at  a  quarter  past  six,  when  a  general  cannonade 
began  between  the  squadron,  the  batteries,  and  the 
flotilla ;  during  which  several  shells  were  thrown  by 
the  Algerines,  three  of  which  were  seen  to  explode 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  221 

high  in  the  air.  This  cannonade  endured  one  hour, 
the  shot  falling  short  on  both  sides.  It  appears  to 
have  been  provoked  by  the  Admiral  in  order  to  as- 
certain the  range  of  the  Algerine  cannon,  &c. 
Thus  hostilities  have  actually  commenced  here, 
and  Great  Britain  cannot  now  recede  without 
tarnishing  her  character.  It  is  reported  that  the 
Bashaw  has  caused  liberal  donations  of  money  to 
be  distributed  amongst  the  soldiers  and  seamen, 
and  graduated  rewards  for  acts  of  valour. 

13/A.  Early  this  morning,  the  steam  vessel  was 
seen  towing  the  store  or  bomb  ship,  out  of  the 
bay,  and  at  about  noon,  when  the  sea  breeze  had 
freshened  a  little,  the  whole  squadron  weighed  an- 
chor, and  stood  out  to  sea,  thus  leaving  us  in  doubt 
as  to  their  ulterior  intentions  ;  the  most  probable 
conjecture,  however,  is,  that  the  Admiral  is  wait- 
ing for  the  arrival  of  expected  reinforcements. 
This  evening  the  squadron  consists  of  sixteen  sail 
of  vessels.  It  is  reported  that  in  the  skirmish  of 
yesterday,  a  man  was  killed  and  another  wounded 
in  one  of  the  gun  boats,  and  that  three  shot  fell  in 
the  city,  which  implies  that  the  British  ships  lay  at 
a  shorter  distance  than  is  above  estimated.  During 
the  last  two  days,  the  heat  has  been  excessive,  the 
mercury  fluctuating  between  eighty-two  and  eighty- 
eight  degrees. 

\\th.  Hazy  weather,  the  mercury  not  rising 
above  eighty-two  degrees.  Fourteen  sail  of  Bri- 
tish vessels  were  at  several  times  counted  in  the 


222  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

offing ;  towards  night  they  were  reported  to  be 
twenty  sail. 

This  evening,  as  a  contrast  to  the  din  of  war, 
and  the  anxiety  naturally  produced  by  impending 
hostilities  in  such  a  country  as  this  is,  we  were 
gratified  with  the  spectacle  of  one  of  the  most 
interesting  phenomena  in  the  economy  of  na- 
ture. A  Cactus  grandiflorus  in  this  garden  began 
to  bloom  at  sunset,  and  gradually  expanding  its 
ephemeral  glory  in  a  bright  moonlight,  filled 
the  air,  for  many  yards  round,  with  its  fragrant 
breath,  in  which  the  vanilla  was  sensibly  predomi- 
nant. 

15th.  During  the  greater  part  of  this  day,  the 
horizon  was  covered  with  a  dense  fog,  the  ther- 
mometer not  rising  above  seventy-eight  degrees, 
and  the  wind  northerly.  At  about  five  in  the  eve- 
ning, the  haze  partially  clearing  away,  sixteen  sail 
of  British  vessels  were  discovered  in  the  offing. 
The  beautiful  flower  that  bloomed  last  night,  was 
found  closed  this  morning ;  it  withered  and  died 
before  evening. 

16th.  Hazy  weather,  thermometer  seventy-seven 
degrees,  and  wind  easterly.  The  British  squadron 
was  discovered  at  several  times  in  the  day,  west- 
ward of  cape  Caxin.  The  blockade  of  the  bay 
appears  to  be  abandoned. 

17th.  Hot,  hazy  weather,  thermometer  at  from 
seventy-seven  to  eighty-five  degrees,  and  wind 
easterly.  The  British  fleet  occasionally  in  sight. 


SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS.  223 

18th.  Hot,  clear  weather  ;  thermometer  at  from 
seventy-seven  to  eighty  degrees,  and  the  wind 
easterly.  Arrived  in  the  bay  a  Dutch  line-of-  battle 
ship  and  a  frigate,  the  former  with  a  rear  admiral's 
flag ;  they  communicated  with  the  Consul  of  their 
nation,  without  apparent  notice  of  the  British 
squadron. 

2%th.  The  British  fleet,  which  has  been  aug- 
menting in  number  during  several  days,  appeared 
this  morning,  twTenty-two  sail,  directly  off  the  port, 
with  all  the  usual  demonstrations  of  intention  to  take 
positions  of  attack.  The  weather  exceedingly 
pleasant,  thermometer  at  seventy-five  degrees,  and 
wind  east-northeast.  At  twenty-five  minutes  past 
eleven,  the  Admiral  filled  away,  and  the  whole 
fleet  in  succession  ;  four  bomb  ships,  and  two  large 
cutter  bombs  appear  intended  to  bombard  the  place. 
At  twenty-five  minutes  past  one  o'clock,  a  bomb 
ship  anchored  in  position.  At  thirty  minutes  past 
one  o'clock,  the  batteries  and  flotilla  commenced 
firing  shot  and  shells  with  great  vivacity,  when  the 
Admiral  displayed  a  flag  of  truce,  and  detached  a 
boat  under  the  same  ;  the  fire  on  the  part  of  the  Al- 
gerines  continuing  many  minutes,  and  until  silenc- 
ed by  a  signal  from  the  Casauba.  At  two  o'clock, 
the  Algerines  met  the  British  flag  at  the  entrance 
of  the  port.  At  a  quarter  past  four,  an  answer  was 
returned  to  the  Admiral's  message  ;  and  at  six,  an- 
other flag  was  sent  in  by  the  Admiral.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  British  were  employed  in  forming 


224  SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

their  line  of  attack,  and  the  steam  vessel  busily 
engaged  in  towing  into  their  positions  such  ships 
as  required  her  aid.  The  British  ships  are  moored 
in  a  curved  line,  opposite  the  town,  of  at  least  a 
mile  in  extent.  Their  distances,  with  a  list  of  thu 
number  and  force  of  their  vessels,  will  be  noticed 
when  better  ascertained. 

25^A.  Hot,  clear  weather,  the  mercury  fluctuat- 
ing between  eighty  and  ninety  degrees,  and  the 
wind  easterly,  occasionally  varying  towards  the 
south.  This  day  is  spent  by  the  belligerents  in 
negotiation  and  messages. 

26th.  At  six  this  morning,  the  Consul  received 
a  message  from  the  Honourable  Captain  Spencer, 
requesting  a  meeting  in  town.  He  went  down  and 
met  this  gentleman  at  his  own  house,  at  eight,  who 
informed  him  that  the  Bashaw  had  acceded  to  all 
the  demands  of  his  government,  except  the  return 
of  the  late  Consul  to  his  post  here,  he  pleading 
that  though  he  had  no  personal  objections  to  Mr. 
McDonell,  that  gentleman  had  rendered  himself  so 
odious  to  the  populace,  that  if  he  should  land,  he 
could  not  be  responsible  for  his  safety  against  their 
fury.  This  plea  is  totally  unfounded  in  fact,  but 
one  which  it  is  true  he  might  render  real  by  his  own 
authority,  if  he  chose  to  accredit  his  veracity  by 
ordering,  in  a  manner  that  could  not  be  detected,  a 
furious  mob  to  greet  the  British  Consul  on  landing. 
But  it  must  be  also  remarked,  that  this  government 
is  one  of  the  strongest  in  the  world,  in  all  matters 


SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS.  224 

of  police*  Instead  of  rendering  the  Algerine  gov- 
ernment responsible  for  the  personal  safety  of  the 
British  Consul,  which  would  appear  to  be  the  ob- 
vious course  with  such  a  force  before  tjie  place, 
the  Admiral,  from  motives  of  humanity,  had  refused 
to  permit  him  to  expose  himself  to  such  a  danger, 
and  appointed  a  Pro-Consul  to  administer  the 
Consulate  here  in  the  mean  time. 

Thus  this  preposterous  expedition  has  ended  in 
realizing  the  fable  of  the  mountain  in  labour.  In 
the  Appendix  will  be  found  copies  of  the  authentic 
documents  relative  to  this  peace,  which  demonstrate 
that  its  conditions  are  precisely  those  which  were 
offered  to  the  British  Admiral  in  March  last.*  The 
British  force  before  Algiers  consists  of  one  line-of- 
battle  ship,  five  frigates,  four  bomb  vessels,  carrying 
two  mortars  each,  three  cutters  of  one  mortar  each, 
a  steam  vessel  of  one  hundred  horse  power,  several 
sloops,  brigs,  and  store-ships,  in  all  twenty-three 
sail  ;  that  is,  sufficient  to  raze  Algiers  to  its 
foundations.  Their  active  force  is  moored  in  a 
most  admirable  manner,  in  the  form  of  a  crescent, 
of  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  in  extent,  each  vessel 
of  which  is  at  about  four  thousand  yards'  distance 
from  the  light-house. 

The  Consul  visited  the  Admiral  on  board  the 
Revenge  at  noon,  and  was  received  by  him  with 
his  usual  urbanity,  and  requested  to  aid  the  Pro- 

*  Appendix,  K. 

29 


226          SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

Consul  going  on  shore,  who  is  a  young,  inexperienc- 
ed man,  with  his  counsel  and  advice  if  necessary. 
He  also  met  there  his  friend,  the  late  British  Con- 
sul, who,  at  an  advanced  age,  with  a  large  family 
of  small  children,  appears  to  be  the  destined  victim 
of  these  strange  negotiations.  The  Consul  landed 
at  two,  with  the  British  Pro-Consul,  to  whom  he 
offered  the  hospitality  of  his  house,  until  he  can 
organize  his  own  establishment,  which  is  accepted. 

Thus  has  Hussein  Bashaw,  through  his  obstinacy 
in  persisting  in  a  course  of  policy  contrary  to  the 
advice  of  all  his  council,  raised  himself  to  a  degree 
of  moral  power  and  consideration,  that  few  Deys 
of  Algiers  have  attained  in  modern  times.  Here- 
after his  opinions  will  be  regarded  as  oracles, 

29th.  The  miscellaneous  transactions  of  the  last 
two  days  are  of  little  moment ;  the  British  squad- 
ron breaking  up  and  departing  in  fragments. 
Yesterday  the  Consul  despatched  a  copy  of  this 
Journal  to  the  twenty-seventh  instant,  through  the 
British  Admiral  to  the  Minister  in  London,  for  the 
Secretary  of  State.  This  morning  the  Admiral 
landed  and  returned  the  Consul's  visit,  with  Cap- 
tains Spencer,  Clifford,  Sir  Charles  Burrard,  and 
several  other  officers.  They  proceeded  from  this 
Consulate  to  the  palace,  to  take  leave  of  the  Ba- 
shaw ;  on  their  return,  they  partook  of  a  cold  col- 
lation with  the  Consul,  and  returned  on  board  at 
three  o'clock.  Received  despatches  from  the 
Charge  d'AffaireS  of  the  Consulate  at  Tunis,  to 
which  the  Consul  replied  by  the  British  squadron. 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  227 

31st.  The  Consul  being  desirous  of  ascertaining 
whether  or  not  his  credit  had  in  any  manner  suf- 
fered through  the  late  events  here,  requested  an 
audience  of  the  Minister  of  Marine,  and  met  him 
by  appointment  at  eight  this  morning,  attended  by 
his  drogoman,  and  by  M.  Bensamon  as  interpre- 
ter, when  he  was  received  by  the  Minister  in  the 
most  frank  and  cordial  manner.  After  the  usual 
compliments,  he  stated  the  object  of  his  visit  to  be 
tbat  of  thanking  this  government  generally,  and  the 
Minister  in  particular,  for  ^heir  kind  and  respectful 
treatment  of  him  during  the  late  war  with  Great 
Britain.  The  Minister  replied,  that  the  character 
of  the  American  Consul  was  well  known  and  du- 
ly appreciated  by  this  government ;  that  they  be- 
lieved the  motives  of  his  conduct  had  been  disin- 
terested, impartial,  and  friendly  ;  that  they  never 
hesitated  to  comply  immediately  with  any  request 
made  by  him  that  regarded  his  own  interests,  or 
those  immediately  under  his  charge  ;  and  if  some 
of  his  advice,  regarding  only  themselves,  had  not 
been  followed,  it  was  not  through  distrust  of  his 
motives  in  giving  it.  The  Minister  cited  several 
cases  of  liberality  in  their  conduct  during  the  war, 
and  complained  that  that  of  the  British  did  not 
correspond  to  it.  He  expressed  his  pleasure  at  the 
British  Pro-Consul  being  at  his  house,  as  he  thought 
there  was  no  person  here  so  likely  to  give  him  use- 
ful advice  as  the  Consul.  In  short  this  conference 
was  as  cordial  as  could  be  desired. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS. 

The  Consul  availed  himself  of  this  occasion  to 
state  to  the  minister  the  case  of  M.  Granet,  the 
British  Vice-Consul,  whose  longer  residence  here 
has  been  refused  to  the  British  authorities,  as  being 
the  only  man  who  is  able  to  settle  and  liquidate 
Mr.  McDonelFs  pecuniary  concerns,  which  he  is 
compelled  to  abandon  ;  and  requested,  as  a  personal 
favour,  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  remain  until 
he  can  arrange  the  affairs  of  this  unfortunate  family. 
The  Minister  hesitated,  and  then  replied,  that  if  the 
Consul  were  informed  of  the  reports  made  to  them 
of  the  offensive  conversations  of  M.  Granet,  he 
would  himself  approve  of  his  being  compelled  to 
quit  the  country  forthwith  ;  but  in  consideration  of 
him,  M.  Granet  should  be  permitted  to  remain  un- 
der his  special  protection  for  the  object  in  question  ; 
but  he  repeated  many  times,  that  this  was  a  favour 
which  would  not  be  granted  to  any  other  person  in 
Algiers.  The  Consul  rendered  suitable  thanks  to 
the  Minister  for  this  proof  of  good  will,  and  with- 
out attempting  to  refute  the  charges  made  against 
M.  Granet,  merely  remarked,  that  he  was  an  old 
man,  respectable  for  his  integrity  of  character, 
though  certainly  too  much  inclined  to  idle  talk, 
which  had  doubtless  been  greatly  exaggerated,  and 
\vas,  in  his  opinion,  not  worth  serious  attention. 
He  again  repeated,  that  he  pleaded  the  cause  of  a 
ruined  family  of  women  and  little  children,  and 
felt  in  proportion  grateful  for  the  favour. 


SKETCHES   OP  ALGIERS.  229 

August  2d.  This  morning  about  one  half  of  the 
officers  of  the  British  frigate  Nayad,  remaining  in 
the  bay,  sixteen  in  number,  landed  for  recreation, 
and  were  received  at  this  Consulate  ;  a  collation 
was  prepared  for  them  at  two  o'clock,  and  they 
returned  on  board  in  the  evening.  The  Consul 
dined  on  board  of  the  Nayad. 

3d.  This  morning,  the  Honourable  Captain 
Spencer  landed,  and  breakfasted  with  the  Consul. 
The  remainder  of. the  officers  of  the  Nayad  landed 
for  recreation,  and  were  entertained  at  this  Con- 
sulate as  yesterday.  They  are  a  remarkably  fine 
sample  of  British  youth. 

Arrived,    anchored    in   the   bay,  and   com  muni 
cated  with  the   Consul  of  Holland,  a  Dutch  cor- 
vette from  Port  Mahou. 

5th.  This  day  precedes  the  Grand  Byram. 
The  Consul  paid  his  respects  to  the  Minister  of 
Marine  in  the  morning,  and  to  the  Bashaw  at  one 
o'clock,  as  is  customary  on  this  occasion,  and  was 
by  both  received  with  much  civility.  Since  the 
arrival  of  the  British  squadron,  the  weather  has 
been  excessively  hot,  the  mercury  in  Fahrenheit's 
thermometer  fluctuating  from  seventy-six  to  ninety 
degrees  in  this  house,  which  stands  upon  the  sea- 
shore ;  at  several  residences  of  European  Consuls 
in  the  country,  where  the  sea-breeze  did  not  reach, 
it  rose  to  one  hundred  degrees. 

llth.  Departed  the  British  frigate  Nayad,  for 
Malta.  Previously  to  his  departure,  Captain  Spen- 


230  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

eer  sent  a  very  polite  letter  of  thanks  to  the  Consul, 
for  attentions  to  himself  and  officers  during  his  stay 
here.  The  transactions  of  the  British  agents  here, 
since  the  peace,  are  not  of  a  character  to  merit  any 
further  notice  in  this  Journal. 

13th.  Mr,  Danford,  the  British  Pro-Consul,  hav- 
ing resided  in  this  Consulate  since  his  landing  in 
Algiers,  left  it  this  day  to  go  and  occupy  his  own 
establishment  in  the  country.  He  is  a  young  man 
of  amiable  manners,  and  of  respectable  character 
and  talents. 

14^A.  The  Minister  of  Marine  inquired,  through 
the  national  drogoman,  if  the  Consul  would  give 
passports  to  Algerine  cruisers,  provisionally,  for  the 
vacant  Consulates  here,  namely,  the  Austrian,  Tus- 
can, and  Portuguese.  He  replied  that  he  could  not, 
it  being  absolutely  incompatible  with  his  duty.  The 
same  application  was  subsequently  made  to  the  Brit- 
ish Pro-Consul,  who,  in  consideration  of  the  Consul- 
ates in  question  having  heretofore  been  represented 
by  the  British  Consuls,  on  the  advice  of  the  Con- 
sul, agreed  to  do  so  on  the  principle  of  international 
courtesy. 

18^/i.  This  morning  the  drogoman  reported  to 
the  Consul,  that  a  vessel  had  been  wrecked  on  a 
part  of  this  coast,  eastward  of  Boujaiah,  where  the 
jurisdiction  of  this  government  does  not  extend  ; 
that  seven  white  men  and  a  negro,  supposed  to  be 
Americans,  were  in  possession  of  the  Kabyles  of 
that  district,  and  that  the  Bashaw  had  immediately 


SKETCHES     OF    ALGIERS.  231 

taken  such  measures  as  the  case  requires,  to  liberate 
them.  The  Consul  requested  that  every  thing 
practicable,  might  be  done  to  this  effect,  and  if 
they  should  prove  to  be  Americans,  he  would  pay 
all  reasonable  expenses  incident  to  their  liberation. 
Despatched  a  copy  of  this  Journal,  to  this  date,  to 
the  Minister  in  London,  under  cover  to  Campbell, 
Lavers,  &  Co.,  Genoa. 

19th.  Arrived,  anchored  in  the  bay,  and  com- 
municated with  their  Consul,  a  Dutch  squadron, 
under  a  Rear- Admiral's  flag,  consisting  of  a  seven- 
ty-four, a  frigate,  a  sloop,  and  a  brig.  The  Dutch 
Consul,  on  his  return,  informed  the  Consul,  that 
the  Minister  of  Marine  told  him,  in  a  very  uncere- 
monious manner,  that  if  Holland  did  not  annul  her 
treaty  with  Spain,  relative  to  Algiers,  and  agree  to 
pay  annual  tribute  and  presents  as  formerly,  war 
would  be  declared  against  her.  It  is  reported  to 
the  Consul,  on  sufficient  authority,  that  the  brig 
which  has  sailed  this  day  for  Genoa,  carries  a 
similar  declaration  to  the  government  of  Sardinia. 

20th.  Landed  the  Dutch  Vice-Consul  for  Mar- 
seilles, by  whom  the  Consul  received  newspapers 
and  private  letters  from  his  correspondents.  The 
Bashaw  fixes  to-morrow  for  an  audience  to  the 
Dutch  Consul. 

%lst.  The  Dutch  Consul  and  Vice- Consul  break- 
fasted at  this  Consulate  on  their  return  fron\  the 
Casauba.  They  inform  that  a  letter  had  just  been 
received  by  the  Admiral  from  their  irovmiment  by 


232  SKETCHES   OF  ALGIERS. 

the  brig  of  the  squadron  which  is  from  Marseilles, 
that  notifies  the  dissolution  of  the  treaty  between 
the  Netherlands  and  Spain,  respecting  Algiers, 
which  they  had  just  signified  to  the  Bashaw,  who 
nevertheless  requires,  as  the  price  of  peace,  that 
Holland  shall  become  tributary,  and  pay  as  other 
such  powers  do  ;  as  the  only  favour,  he  offers  three 
months'  delay,  for  receiving  the  definitive  determi- 
nation of  the  government  of  the  Netherlands.  At 
eleven,  the  Dutch  Consul  went  on  board  to  consult 
the  Admiral  as  to  the  reply  proper  to  be  made  ; 
he  returned  to  this  Consulate  in  the  evening,  and 
reports  that  the  Bashaw  will  write  to  the  King  of 
the  Netherlands,  requiring  of  him  annual  tribute, 
and  biennial  presents,  and  that  ninety  days  will  be 
granted  to  make  his  election  between  peace  on 
these  terms,  and  war. 

22d.  Sailed  the  Dutch  Admiral,  frigate,  and 
sloop,  leaving  the  brig  to  take  the  Consul's  des- 
patches. The  Bashaw  very  kindly  remarks,  that 
if  his  good  friend,  the  King  of  the  Netherlands, 
agrees  at  once  to  his  propositions,  tribute  and  pres- 
ents will  be  required  only  from  this  date  ;  but  if 
he  pushes  him  to  war,  no  peace  will  thereafter  be 
made  without  the  payment  of  all  arrearages  ;  that 
is,  from  the  time  when  they  ceased  here,  by  the 
annexation  of  Holland  to  the  French  empire.  The 
Dutch  Consul,  very  properly,  on  this  occasion, 
ventured  an  appeal  to  the  faith  of  treaties  which 
had  been  solemnly  contracted  ;  to  which  the  Ba- 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  233 

shaw  replied,  that  what  was  past  could  not  then 
be  discussed,  for  Algiers  was  simply  entering  into 
the  possession  of  her  ancient  rights.  The  Consul 
is  informed  from  a  friendly,  and  as  he  believes,  an 
authentic  source,  that  the  question  of  American  re- 
lations here,  has  also  been  agitated  in  the  councils 
of  the  Regency,  and  if  their  actual  enterprises  suc- 
ceed, the  same  terms  will  be  propounded  to  the 
United  States. 

25^/i.  This  morning  several  Dutch  officers  landed 
and  breakfasted  with  the  Consul.  At  twelve,  the 
commander  of  the  Dutch  brig  embarked.  By  this 
occasion,  the  Consul  sent  despatches  to  the  Min- 
isters at  London  and  Paris  ;  also  the  semi-annual 
accounts  of  this  Consulate  to  the  fifth  Auditor, 
under  cover  to  his  correspondents  in  Marseilles. 

It  has  been  remarked  in  this  Journal,  February 
third,  that  the  Consul  had  received  information 
from  an  authentic  source,  that  the  late  British 
Consul  and  Captain  Spencer  would  have  been  ar- 
rested and  detained,  if  the  Bashaw  had  been  aware 
of  their  intentions.  The  Consul  has  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  something  like  this  may  have  been  said 
at  the  time,  but  common  justice  compels  him  to 
say  now,  that  the  character  of  the  Bashaw,  as  it 
has  been  developed  in  the  course  of  the  ridiculous 
war  in  question,  forbids  the  belief  that  he  would  in 
any  case,  resort  to  such  a  measure. 

The  fifth  instant  appears  to  have  closed  the  term 
30 


234  SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

of  excessive  heat  this  year.  Since  then,  the  mer- 
cury has  not  risen  above  seventy-five  degrees. 
.  28th.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  the  Brit- 
ish frigate  Phaeton,  Captain  Sturt,  from  Malta, 
with  the  captain  of  the  Algerine  corvette,  captured 
in  February  last,  and  a  number  of  Algerines  cap- 
tured in  the  course  of  the  late  war.  In  the  night 
there  was  a  violent  squall  from  the  land,  when  the 
British  commander  appears  to  have  thought  it  pru- 
dent to  put  to  sea. 

31  st.  Returned  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  the 
British  frigate  Phaeton.  Captain  Sturt,  with  his 
lady,  and  daughter,  General  Sir  Parker  Carroll, 
and  a  young  clergyman,  by  the  name  of  Radcliff, 
called  on  the  Consul,  and  partook  of  a  cold  colla- 
tion, at  three  o'clock.  They  returned  on  board  in 
the  evening. 

Arrived,  a  French  brig  from  Marseilles,  by  which 
the  Consul  received  from  his  correspondents  files 
of  Paris  newspapers  ;  also,  two  small  patent 
ploughs,  some  garden  seeds,  and  books  from  New 
York. 

September  1st.  Rais  Cadore,  commander  of  the 
Algerine  cruiser  captured  by  the  British  in  Febru- 
ary last,  in  full  view  of  Algiers,  called  on  the  Con- 
sul, who  complimented  him  on  the  gallant  defence 
made  by  him  on  that  occasion,  and  made  him  a 
present  of  ten  sequins  as  a  mark  of  his  considera- 
tion. Sailed  the  British  frigate  Phaeton,  for  Gib- 
raltar and  the  Tagus. 


SKETCHES   OF    ALGIERS.  235 

6t/L.  Departed  the  Chevalier  Ankarloo,  Swedish 
Consul  General  for  Leghorn,  who  retires  from  this 
post. 

7th.  This  government,  having  for  the  first  time 
given  names  to  all  their  vessels  of  war,  sent  a  list 
of  them,  with  the  number  of  guns  with  which  they 
are  mounted,  &c.  to  this  Consulate. 

19th.  Sailed  a  squadron  of  one  corvette,  two 
brigs,  and  two  schooners,  Algerine  vessels,  on  a 
cruise.  The  flag  of  Hamburg  was  displayed,  as 
that  against  which  they  intend  cruising. 

21  st.  This  morning  a  letter  without  date  was 
brought  to  the  Consul  by  the  lieutenant  of  the  port, 
from  a  Captain  S.  Baker,  stating  that  the  schooner 
Harriet,  of  Philadelphia,  from  Baltimore,  bound  to 
Trieste,  was  upset  by  a  whirlwind  in  the  night,  at 
about  seventy  miles  distance  from  this  coast  ;  that 
himself,  his  mate,  and  six  seamen  saved  themselves 
in  the  boat,  and  arrived  on  the  sixth  of  August  on 
the  eastern  part  of  this  coast,  where  they  were 
seized  by  the  wild,  independent  Kabyles,  in  wrhose 
possession  they  still  remain,  naked,  with  little  to 
eat,  and  himself,  his  mate,  and  two  seamen  sick. 

By  the  same  occasion  a  letter  was  also  received, 
in  Arabic,  which,  on  being  translated,  appeared  to 
be  a  demand  on  the  Consul,  by  the  chief  of  those 
mountaineers,  of  four  thousand  pataks,  about  two 
thousand  two  hundred  dollars,  for  the  ransom  of 
Captain  Baker  and  his  crew.  There  appearing  in 
this  case  to  be  no  alternative  compatible  with  hu- 


236  SKETCHES   OF   ALGIERS. 

manity,  or  even  good  policy,  for  if  the  demand  for 
these  unfortunate  citizens  be  withheld,  they  will 
probably  be  massacred,  the  Consul  waited  on  the 
Minister  of  Marine  in  order  to  offer  the  ransom, 
and  have  immediate  measures  taken  for  their  libera- 
tion. The  Minister  assured  him  that  every  thing 
possible  had  been  done  to  liberate  these  men  ;  that 
the  Kabyles  who  held  them  were  entirely  without 
the  jurisdiction  and  dependence  of  this  government ; 
and  that  if  even  Turks  were  in  their  possession, 
they  must  either  be  ransomed  or  left  to  their  fate. 
At  the  request  of  the  Consul,  he  engaged  to  send 
a  small  vessel  to  that  coast  with  the  ransom  de- 
manded, in  charge  of  an  officer  of  his  confidence, 
and  assured  him  that  nothing  should  be  neglected 
on  the  occasion.  It  appears  that  the  agents  first 
employed  by  this  government  to  liberate  these  men, 
did  not  dare  to  disburse  the  large  sum  demanded 
for  their  ransom. 

*22d.  It  being  found  impossible  to  collect  the 
sum  required,  in  the  old  coin  of  Algiers,  which 
alone  is  current  in  those  mountains,  application  was 
made  by  the  Consul  to  the  Bashaw  to  obtain  it 
from  the  public  treasury,  which  he  granted  with 
great  reluctance,  at  the  established  rate  of  ex- 
change. In  this  decision,  there  was  an  evident 
struggle  between  his  pride  as  a  prince,  and  his 
avarice  as  a  Turk.  He  could  not  disguise  his 
mortification  at  the  imputation  on  the  power  of  his 
government  implied  by  the  demand  of  the  Kabyles. 


SKETCHES    OF   ALGIERS.  237 

lie  alone  can  furnish  the  means  of  their  release  ; 
by  doing  so,  according  to  rates  of  exchange  estab- 
lished by  himself,  he  loses  at  least  twenty  per  cent, 
on  the  sum,  and  he  cannot,  in  common  decency, 
refuse  the  one  or  change  the  other. 

23d.  The  money  being  provided,  a  sandal  sailed 
for  the  eastern  coast,  under  the  special  direction  of 
this  government,  in  order  to  effect  the  liberation  of 
Captain  Baker  and  his  crew.  By  this  occasion,  the 
Consul  wrote  to  Captain  Baker,  and  sent  a  case, 
containing  wine,  coffee,  sugar,  &c.  for  the  immediate 
refreshment  of  the  unfortunate  citizens  in  question. 

25th.  The  Consul  waited  on  his  friend  the  Aga, 
to  compliment  him  on  his  return  from  a  reported 
successful  campaign  against  the  Kabyles.  On  this 
occasion  he  presented  the  Aga  with  a  small  patent 
plough,  with  which  he  appeared  greatly  delighted. 

28th.  Arrived  and  anchored  in  the  bay,  the 
United  States'  ship  Ontario,  last  from  Malaga. 
Captain  Nicholson  landed  with  the  Consul  at  two 
o'clock,  and  on  his  representation,  determined  to 
wait  for  the  return  of  the  sandal  which  has  been 
sent  to  effect  the  liberation  of  our  unfortunate  fel- 
low citizens,  detained  in  slavery  by  the  Kabyles. 
On  this  occasion,  the  usual  salutes  were  received 
and  returned. 

29th.  Sailed,  an   Algerine  corvette,  on  a  cruise. 

30/A.  Arrived,  a  Dutch  brig  from  Ma  lion,  with 
the  news  of  the  death  of  Louis  XVIII.,  and  of  the 
accession  of  Charles  X.  to  the  throne  of  France. 


SKETCHES    QF  ALGIERS. 

On  the  day  following,  this  vessel  departed  for 
Tunis. 

October  3d.  Arrived,  anchored  in  the  bay,  and 
were  saluted  as  usual,  the  United  States'  ships  Cy~ 
ane,  Erie,  and  Nonsuch,  from  Tunis. 

&th.  Commodore  Creighton  declined  landing, 
when  the  Consul  went  off  on  board  the  Cyane,  and 
communicated  to  him  the  state  of  our  relations  here ; 
he  in  consequence  determined  to  sail  immediately, 
being  short  of  provisions  and  stores,  leaving  the 
Ontario  to  receive  on  board  Captain  Baker  and  his 
crew  when  they  arrive. 

5th.  Sailed  the  United  States'  ships  Cyane,  Erie, 
and  Nonsuch,  for  Gibraltar.  Midshipman  Pleas- 
anton  embarked  on  board  the  Erie,  by  order  of  the 
Commodore,  there  being  no  longer  any  reason  of 
public  necessity  for  his  remaining  in  this  Consulate. 

The  Consul  received  a  fine  young  horse  as  a 
present  from  the  Aga. 

16th.  The  Minister  of  Marine  sent  word  by  the 
drogoman  that  he  had  received  information  of  the 
redemption  of  our  men,  who  had  arrived  at  Bou- 
jaiah,  all  well,  where  they  were  detained  by  the 
westerly  winds,  which  have  constantly  prevailed 
on  the  coast  during  the  last  fortnight.  He  offered 
to  send  a  pilot  for  that  place,  with  an  order  to  re- 
ceive them,  if  it  should  be  deemed  expedient  for 
the  Ontario  to  proceed  to  that  port  for  them.  Af- 
ter due  deliberation,  it  was  determined,  if  the  wes- 
terly winds  continue,  that  the  Ontario  proceed  to- 
morrow to  the  port  of  Boujaiah  on  that  service. 


SKETCHES   OP   ALGIERS.  239 

17 tk.  The  westerly  winds  continuing,  Captain 
Nicholson  embarked  at  noon,  in  order  to  proceed 
to  Boujaiah  in  search  of  our  unfortunate  fellow- 
citizens.  The  Ontario  sails  in  the  morning  with 
a  pilot  on  board. 

During  the  long  stay  of  the  Ontario  in  this  bay, 
her  officers  and  crew  have  circulated  with  almost 
as  much  freedom  as  they  could  have  done  in  a 
civilized  country  ;  and  it  is  no  more  than  justice  to 
say  that  they  have  been  uniformly  treated  with 
respect,  and  even  politeness  by  the  Algerines ; 
during  this  time,  not  a  single  complaint  has  been 
made  by  either  party. 

Before  the  Consul  closed  his  despatches,  he  re- 
ceived a  message  from  the  Minister  of  Marine,  in- 
forming him  that  our  men  had  arrived  at  Dellys,  or 
Teddeles,  about  ten  leagues  from  here.  As  this  port 
affords  no  anchorage  for  ships,  he  sent  a  message  to 
Captain  Nicholson,  advising  him  to  wait,  and  re- 
quested this  government  to  take  immediate  measures 
to  have  our  men  brought  on  by  land,  if  the  wind 
continues  unfavourable  ;  which  was  done  forthwith. 

19th.  This  morning,  the  wind  being  strong  at 
east-northeast,  the  sandal  so  long  expected,  arrived 
with  Captain  Baker  and  his  crew,  eight  in  number, 
who  landed,  and  were  conducted  to  this  Consulate 
at  nine  o'clock  ;  Captain  Baker  and  two  of  his 
men  very  ill  of  fever.  They  were  washed,  shaved, 
clothed,  refreshed,  and  sent  to  bed.  The  wind 
blowing  very  strong  from  east-northeast  prevents 


240          SKETCHES  OF  ALGIERS. 

their  embarkation  this  day.  Captain  Baker  com- 
plained of  ill  treatment  and  lave  on  board  of  the 
sandal,  after  being  ransomed,  though  the  most  lib- 
eral provision  was  made  by  the  Consul  for  their 
subsistence,  and  the  sandal  was  hired  expressly  for 
their  transportation.  The  Consul  remonstrated 
with  the  Minister  of  Marine  against  such  scanda- 
lous impositions,  who  replied  that  he  had  done 
every  thing  in  his  power  to  meet  the  Consul's 
wishes ;  that  the  ransom  money,  and  the  liberty  of 
the  officer  who  had  it  in  charge  had  been  in  immi- 
nent danger;  and  that  it  had  been  necessary  to 
wink  at  the  improprieties  of  the  crew  of  the  sandal, 
who,  being  of  the  same  country,  had  a  fellow  feel- 
ing with  the  Kabyles  ;  that  as  the  men  were  now 
safe  here,  he  recommended  passing  over  these 
things  as  unimportant.  The  Consul  deemed  it 
most  prudent  to  adopt  this  advice. 

Arrived,  the  British  frigate  Nayad,  from  Naples, 
a  French  schooner  of  war,  and  a  Dutch  brig  from 
Tunis.  The  Honourable  Captain  Spencer,  of  the 
Nayad,  called  and  dined  with  the  Consul,  and  ac-. 
cepted  of  his  hospitality  during  his  stay  here. 

Captain  Spencer  communicated  to  the  Consul 
a  copy  of  a  despatch  from  his  government  to  the 
Bashaw,  which  forms  the  object  of  his  mission  here. 
Great  Britain  declares  herself  the  ally  of  Sardinia, 
and  guarantee  of  her  peace  with  Algiers  ;  proposes 
her  mediation  respecting  a  pecuniary  claim  by  Al- 
giers on  Sardinia,  to  be  settled  by  commissioners 


SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS.  241 

of  the  respective  parties,  under  the  presidency  of 
the  Marquis  of  Hastings,  at  Malta  ;  and  declares, 
that  in  all  events,  she  will  protect  the  commerce 
and  interests  of  her  ally.  Forty-eight  hours  are 
given  to  this  government  to  consider  and  reply  to 
these  propositions. 

20th.  Moderate  weather.  Early  this  morning, 
the  Consul  went  down  to  the  marine  with  Captain 
Baker  and  his  crew,  and  embarked  them  on  board 
of  a  boat  from  the  Ontario,  and  took  for  them 
a  receipt  from  the  purser  of  that  ship.  The  On- 
tario sailed  at  ten  o'clock  for  Gibraltar.  De- 
spatched by  this  ship  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  un- 
der cover  to  the  naval  Commander  in  chief,  in  the 
Mediterranean,  a  transcript  of  this  Journal  from 
May  last,  to  the  seventeenth  instant,  with  despatch 
No.  82. 

The  commander  of  the  French  vessel  of  war  in 
port,  dined  with  Captain  Spencer  at  this  Consulate. 

28^.  From  the  twenty-third  to  the  twenty-sev- 
enth, the  Consul  was  confined  by  a  severe  attack 
of  fever.  Captain  Spencer  received  from  the  Ba- 
shaw a  reply  entirely  acquiescing  in  the  demands 
of  his  government,  and  sailed  on  the  twenty-third. 
The  peace  of  Sardinia  is  therefore  secure  here,  at 
least  for  the  present.  On  the  same  day  arrived  a 
small  vessel  under  the  Roman  flag,  from  Ancona, 
prize  to  the  Algerine  squadron,  which,  being  of 
Jittle  or  no  value,  was  given  up  to  the  British  Pro- 
Consul,  and  sailed  on  the  twenty-fourth.  On  the 
31 


242  SKETCHES    OF    ALGIERS. 

same  day  was  received  information  of  a  fresh  rup- 
ture between  the  Regency  and  the  Kabyles  of 
Boujaiah  ;  the  Kaid  of  that  place  having  been  at- 
tacked, plundered,  and  killed  by  them.  The  Con- 
sul, wishing  to  avoid  a  discussion  with  this  govern- 
ment on  any  such  subject,  and  alleging  his  dissatis- 
faction with  the  Kabyles  generally,  for  their  in- 
hospitable treatment  of  his  countrymen,  when 
wrecked  upon  their  coast,  ordered  the  two  persons 
of  that  nation  in  his  service,  to  depart  from  his 
premises  and  return  home. 

On  the  twenty-sixth,  arrived  a  French  vessel 
from  Marseilles.  By  this  occasion,  the  Consul 
received  letters  from  his  correspondents,  with  files 
of  Paris  and  American  newspapers  ;  also,  letters 
from  the  Minister  in  London,  acknowledging  the 
receipt  of  his  despatches  of  the  eighteenth  of  May? 
twenty-sixth  of  July,  and  twentieth  and  twenty-sec- 
ond of  August  last. 

This  government  are  arresting  and  confining  to 
hard  labour  in  chains,  all  the  Kabyles  of  the  tribe 
with  which  they  are  in  hostility.  The  two  servants 
who  left  the  Consul  on  the  twenty-fourth,  returned 
this  day,  alleging  that  they  could  not  escape,  all 
the  passes  being  carefully  guarded  by  detachments 
of  Spahis.  Under  such  circumstances,  the  Consul 
thought  that  it  would  be  unbecoming  the  national 
character  to  compel  their  departure. 

November  9th.  Arrived  in  the  bay,  a  Dutch  brig 
of  war  from  Mahon. 


SKETCHES    OF  ALGIERS.  243 

Wth.  The  Dutch  Consul  communicated  to  the 
Consul  the  reply  of  his  government  to  the  Bashaw. 
The  King  of  the  Netherlands  invites  him  to  more 
pacific  counsel,  and  rejects  his  proposition  to  pay 
him  tribute  as  the  price  of  peace,  as  contrary  to  the 
honour  and  dignity  of  his  crown,  and  the  interests 
of  his  kingdom.  The  Bashaw  engages  to  reply 
definitively  to-morrow. 

11  th.  The  Algerines,  having  six  sail  of  vessels 
of  war  at  sea,  seek  to  gain  time  ;  the  Bashaw  is 
reported  to  be  too  ill  to  attend  to  business  ;  his 
minister  proposes  to  write  in  reply  to  the  King  of 
the  Netherlands  ;  and  insists  at  least  on  seeing  the 
Admiral  before  so  important  an  affair  can  be  set- 
tled. The  Dutch  Consul  replies  that  his  instruc- 
tions are  peremptory,  and  if  this  government  do 
not  immediately  agree  to  renew  the  former  treaty 
of  peace,  he  must  embark,  when  war  will  be  the 
inevitable  consequence.  The  final  determination 
of  this  important  question  is  deferred  until  to-mor- 
row morning,  at  ten  o'clock. 

12th.  This  morning,  M.  Traissinet,  Consul  of 
Holland,  with  his  family  and  baggage,  descended 
to  this  Consulate,  preparatory  to  their  embarkation, 
in  the  expectation  that  the  Bashaw  would  persist 
in  his  hostile  determinations  ;  but  all  were  agreea- 
bly disappointed  by  being  met  in  their  way  down 
by  the  public  interpreter,  who  conducted  the  Con- 
sul to  the  Casauba,  where  an  agreement  was  made 
to  continue  peace  upon  its  actual  footing,  as  pro- 


244  SKETCHES  OF   ALGIERS. 

posed  by  the  letter  of  his  Majesty  the  King  of  the 
Netherlands. 

This  negotiation  does  great  credit  to  the  Dutch 
government  and  the  agents  employed  in  it.  The  let- 
ter of  the  King  of  the  Netherlands  to  the  Bashaw 
resembles  very  much  in  style  and  spirit  that  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  written  under  simi- 
lar circumstances  in  1816,  and  the  results  have 
been  the  same.  It  is,  however,  proper  to  remark, 
that  the  news  received  here  of  the  disasters  of  the 
Ottoman  arms  in  the  Levant  has  had  much  influ- 
ence on  the  late  negotiations  with  Sardinia  and  with 
Holland.  The  Dutch  brig  sailed  in  the  evening, 
with  the  agreeable  intelligence  of  this  honourable 
negotiation 


APPENDIX. 


A. 

[Page  83.] 

WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES  ;    MONEY. 

THE  standard  Pound  of  Algiers  is  composed  of  sixteen 
ounces  ;  each  ounce  is  divided  into  eight  equal  parts,  each 
of  which  is  again  subdivided  into  twenty  equal  parts.  By 
this  weight  are  exchanged  and  sold,  the  precious  metals, 
pearls,  precious  stones,  musk,  coral,  tea,  opium,  and  all 
kinds  of  perfumery. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  Quintal  in  Algiers  ;  the  first  of 
which  is  composed  of  one  hundred  standard  pounds,  equal 
to  one  hundred  and  twelve  English  pounds  avoirdupois. 
By  this  quintal  are  generally  sold  all  articles  of  weight, 
with  the  exceptions  below. 

The  second  quintal  is  composed  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
standard  pounds,  by  which  are  sold  iron  and  spun  cotton. 

The  third  quintal  is  composed  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
standard  pounds,  and  by  this  raw  cotton  is  sold. 

Soap,  honey,  figs,  raisins,  dates,  and  butter,  are  sold  by  a 
pound  of  twenty-seven  standard  ounces.  Raw  silk  is  sold 
by  the  pound  of  sixteen  standard  ounces,  but  there  is  a  tare 
allowed  on  it,  of  half  an  ounce  to  the  pound ;  this  is  the 
only  article  known,  that  is  subject  to  this  species  of  tare. 

There  are  two  standards  of  Long  Measure  in  Algiers, 
called  the  pick,  or  peek,  which  are  divided  into  eight  equal 
parts. 


246 


APPENDIX. 


By  the  Turkish,  or  long  peek,  are  sold  all  kinds  of 
woollen,  linen,  and  cotton  manufactures,  not  mentioned 
below  ;  stuffs  of  silk,  and  gold  and  silver  brocade.  One 
peek  and  seven  sixteenths  of  this  measure  are  equal  to  the 
English  yard.  By  the  Arabian,  or  short  peek,  are  sold  all 
kinds  of  muslins,  ribbons  of  silk,  cotton,  or  twist,  and  gold 
and  silver  lace ;  one  peek  and  fifteen  sixteenths  of  this 
measure  are  equal  to  the  English  yard. 

The  Dry  Measure  of  Algiers,  by  which  wheat,  barley, 
pulse,  salt,  &c.  are  sold,  is  called  sah  ;  three  fourths  of  this 
measure  are  equal  to  the  English  bushel. 

The  Liquid  Measure  of  Algiers,  by  which  oil  is  sold,  is  a 
pot  or  jar,  called  co/Z«,  which  is  equal  to  four  English 
gallons. 

I  have  never  been  able  to  learn  whether  the  Algerines 
have  any  notion  of  Land  Measure  ;  I  think  not. 

The  basis  of  the  Algerine  Metallic  Currency  is  the 
messoon,  a  small  silver  coin,  sixty  of  which  are  equal  to  a 
Spanish  dollar.  The  messoon  is  subdivided  into  twerity- 
nTne  asperos,  a  small  base  coin,  resembling  bits  of  tin. 
The  silver  coins  in  use  are  the  pizetta,  of  eight  messoons  ; 
the  pizetta  of  six  messoons  ;  the  pataka  of  twenty-four 
messoons ;  and  the  budjo  of  forty-eight  messoons.  The 
gold  coins  of  Algiers,  are  the  sequin,  of  one  hundred  and 
eight  messoons  :  the  half  sequin  ;  and  the  mahboob,  of  sev- 
enty-two messoons.  Spanish  doubloons  and  dollars  are 
always  current  in  Algiers,  but  at  a  variable  agio. 

The  Algerines  keep  their  accounts  in  pizettas,  of  eight 
messoons.  Coffee  is  sold  by  an  imaginary  dollar  of  forty 
messoons  per  quintal.  The  sale  and  rent  of  houses  and 
lands  are  made  by  an  imaginary  sequin  of  seventy-two 
messoons. 


APPENDIX. 

B. 

[Page  90.] 
VOCABULARIES  OF  AFRICAN  LANGUAGES. 


247 


A  VOCABULARY  OF  THE  SHOWIAH  TONGUE. 

From  Shaw's  "  Travels  or  Observations  relating  to  several  parts 
of  Barbary  and  the  Levant." 


Nouns.  &c. 


Abeloule 

Afuse 

Ageese 

Agroume 

Akham 

Aksheesh 

Aksoume 

Akyth 

Alfill 

Amoukran 

Anserne 

Aowde  l 

Yeese   ] 

Arica 

Arsh 

Aseegass 

Assa 

Athrair 

Aufkee  ) 

Ifkee     f 

Azimoure 

Azgrew 

Azrimme 

Dalian 

Dakallee 

Defoual 

Earden 

Elkaa     ( 

Tamout ) 


a  Fool. 

Eiar 

the  Hand. 

Emee 

Cheese. 

Ergez,  or  l 

Bread. 

Arghaz      J 

a  House. 

Ewdan 

a  Boy. 

Fouse 

Flesh. 

Haken 

Here. 

Jitta 

Snow. 

Ikra 

(  a  Master, 

Illaalee 

(  or  Great. 

Ouglan 

the  Nose. 

Oule 

a  Horse. 

Ouly 
Ouzail 

To-morrrow. 

The  nam( 

a  City. 

as  in  the  . 

a  Year. 

Swaagy 

To-day. 

Taksheesh 

a  Mountain. 

Taphoute  ) 

Milk. 

Kylah        f 
Tasta 

Olives. 

Tegmert  ) 

a  Stone. 

Alovvdah  j 

a  Serpent. 
Butter. 

Tigenoute 
Tizeer  ) 

a  Little. 

Youle   f 

Bad. 

Thamatouth 

Wheat. 

Thamempt 

the  Earth. 

Thamzeen 
Thareet 

Nouns,  &c. 

die  Night, 
the  Mouth. 

a  Man. 

People, 
the  Head. 
There, 
the  Body. 
It,  or  Something. 
Good, 
die  Teeth, 
the  Heart, 
a  Sheep. 
Iron. 


Buttermilk. 
a  Girl. 

the  Sun. 

a  Tree. 

a  Mare. 

Heaven. 

the  Moon. 

a  Woman. 

Honey. 

Litde. 

the  Feet. 


248 


APPENDIX. 


Nouns,  &c. 

Thaw-  went            a  Fountain. 
Thaulah                      a  Fever. 
Theganee                      Dates. 
Themzee                     Barley. 
Thezaureene               Grapes. 

Thigata 
Woodmiss 
Yegazer 
Yethra 
Yibowne 

Nouns,  &c. 


the  Night. 

the  Face. 

a  River. 

a  Star. 

Beans. 


The  Declension  of  Nouns  and  Pronouns. 


Athrair 

Ithourar 

Yegazar 

Yegazran 

Ergez 

Ergessen 

Neck 

Ketche 

Netta 

Nekenee 

Hounouwee 

Neutnee 


Aitch 

Akel 

Akeime 

Atsoue 

BidfiUah 

Einah 

Erse 

Oushe 

Owee 

Teganoute 

Attuss 

Ewan 


a  Mountain. 

Enou 

Mine. 

Mountains. 

Eanick 

Thine. 

a  River. 

Eaniss 

His. 

Rivers. 

Enouwan 

Ours. 

a  Man. 

Eanessick 

Yours. 

Men. 

Eanissen 

Theirs. 

I. 

Ifouseou 

my  Hand. 

Thou. 

Ifouseak 

thy  Hand. 

He. 

Ifouseis 

his  Hand. 

We. 

Ifousenouwan 

our  Hands. 

Ye. 

Ifousenouak 

your  Hands. 

They. 

Ifousenissen 

their  Hands. 

Verbs,  with  their  Conjugations. 
to  eat.     Sewel 

Neck  sewel 
Ketche  sewel 
Neck  seulgas 


to  see. 

to  sit  down. 

to  drink. 

to  stand. 

to  mount. 

to  dismount. 

to  give. 

to  take  away. 

to  sleep. 


to  speak. 
I  speak, 
thou  speakest. 
I  spoke. 
Ketche  seulgas  thou  spokest, 


Itch 
Iswa 
Iker 


Numbers  and  Phrases. 

One.     Seen 
The  other  numbers  as  in  the  Arabic. 


eat. 

drink. 

rise,  &ic. 


Two. 


Manee  ilia  ?  Where  is  it  ? 

Oushee  eide  Give  me  that. 

Oushedoura  I  give  it. 

If  kee  or  Ifgee  is  another  word  for  Give  me  ;  as, 

Ifkee,  ikra  adetshag,  neck  alou-  Give  me  to   eat,  for   I  am 

zagh  hungry. 

Ifkee  ikra  wamani  adeswaag,  Give  me  water  to  drink,  for 

neck  foudagah  I  am  thirsty. 


APPENDIX. 


249 


Neck  urfedaag  ikra 
Kadesh  asi  i  themeur- 

t:iyr  -!k\lli 
Ergez  illlaee  oury  tagadt  ikra 

z  defoual  tagedt 


I  am  not  thirsty. 

How  many  years  have  you  been 

here  ? 

A  good  man  fears  nothing. 
A  bad  man  is  afraid. 


VOCABULAIRE  DBS  LANGUES  BREBES  ET  CHELLU. 

l*ar  C/icnier,  "  Recherches  sur  les  J\Iaures." 


Dieu 

Monde 

Ciel 

Soleil 

Lime 

Etoiles 

Terre 

Mer 

Eau 

Feu 

Boire 

Manger 

Dormir 

Veillir 

Jour 

Ntiit 

Hoinme 

Femme 

Pere 

Mere 

Enfant 

Roi 

Prince 

Esclave 

Sujet 

Vivant 

Mort 

Chameau 

Cheval 

Boeuf 

Mouton 

Lion 

Tigre 


Brebe. 

Allah,  Rabbi 

Don  nit 

Aguena 

Thaibkt 

Aiour 

Yzheran 

Aclial 

Baar 

Aman 

Tafit 

Issou 

Itch 

Guan 

lonquir 

Souhass 

lad 

Argaz 

Tamtot 

Ibbas 

Imma 

Herba 

Aguellid 

Cherif 

Ismak 

Rait 

Idert 

Imout 

Grouns 

Hais 

Ayougou 

Izimer 

Izem 

Agouerzem 


Chellu. 

Allah,  Rabbi. 

Dounit. 

Aguelna. 

Thafokt. 

Aiour. 

Yzheran. 

Aqual. 

Baar. 

Aman. 

Taquat. 

Issou 

Itch. 

Guan. 

Oureignan. 

Hassal. 

lad. 

Argaz. 

Tamgart. 

Babbas. 

Imma. 

Haial. 
Aguellid. 

Cherif. 

Ismak. 

Rait. 

Issout. 

Imout. 

Haram. 

Hais. 

Azguer. 

Izimer. 

Izem. 

Agouerzem. 


250 


APPENDIX, 


Un 
Deux 

Trois 

Quatre 

Cinq 

Six 

Sept 

Huit 

Neuf 

Dix 


Nombres. 
Brebe. 
Ian 
Sin 

Querad 
Arba 
Kemsa 
Setta 
Saba 
Temenia 
Tsaeud 
Achara 


Chellu. 

Ian. 

Sin. 

Querad. 

Quoz. 

Cemouf. 

Scdise. 

Sa. 

Tern. 

Tza. 

Meraou. 


VOCABULARY  OF  THE  SIWAH  LANGUAGE. 

From  Hornemanri's  Travels  in  Africa. 

Vocabulary  of  the  language  spoken  at  Sivvah,  the  suppos- 
ed Oasis  of  Jupiter  Ammon.  Although  I  have  extract- 
ed this  article  from  a  French  translation  of  the  above 
Travels,  the  orthography  should,  without  doubt,  be  re- 
garded as  English. 


Sun 

Clouds 

Ear 

Head 

Eye 

Eyebrow 

Beard 

Hand 

Camel 

Sheep 

Cow 

Horse 

Horses 


Ilfuct 

Logman. 

Temmesocht. 

Achfe. 

Taun. 

Temaun. 

Itmert. 

Fuss. 

Ls;um. 

Jelibb. 

Funest. 

Achmar. 

Ickmare. 


Have  you 
a  horse  ? 
Milk 
Bread 
Mountain 
Sword 
Sabre 
Oil 

Water 
Dates 
House 
Sand 
Cap 
Catacombs 


Goreck  achmar? 

Achi. 

Tagora. 

Iddram. 

Limscha. 

Aus. 

Tsemur. 

Am  an. 

Tena. 

Gebeun. 

Itjeda. 

Tschasehet. 

Tummegar. 


VOCABULAIRE  DE  LA  LANGUE  BREBE. Par  All  Be.y. 


Eau 

Pain 

Viande 

Beurre 

Miel 


Am  arm. 

Ajrrom. 

TifFu. 

Oudi. 

Tamment. 


aisn 
Datte 
Cheval 
Mule 
Homme 


AdH. 

Accamn. 

Agmar. 

Tezerdunt. 

Erguez. 


APPENDIX. 


251 


Femme, 

Negresse 

i  Tamgart. 
\    Tamtot. 
Taouai'a. 

Papier                       Quit 
Comment  vous  )  •*,  • 
nommeZvous|Ma'Smenck- 

Negre 

Yessemk. 

Appeler                        Saoual. 

Ane 

Aguioul. 

Sultan                              Aglid. 

Anesse 

Taguioult. 

Pacha                          Amgar. 

Mouton 

l/,nnmer. 

Vase                            Arouco. 

Brebis 

Tehzi. 

Orge                          Tomzinn. 

Chevre, 

Tagat. 

Ble                              lerdenn. 

Vache 

Tafounast. 

Feves                            Ibaoun. 

Boeuf 

Azguer. 

Selle                             Tarigt. 

Chien 

Aidi. 

Peau                              Abdan. 

Chiens 

Idan. 

Sang                         Idemmen. 

Maison 

Tigmi. 

Cheveu                            Azar. 

Mur 

Agadir. 

Bras                             legzan. 

Feu 

Lafit. 

Genou                         Ifedden. 

Porte 

Imi. 

Dos                           Tadaoutt. 

Arbre 

Zehhar. 

Ventre                           Addiss. 

Argent  monnoye 

Timuzunin. 

Coeur                             Ououl. 

Cuivre  monnoye 

Kareden. 

Epaule                          Eguer. 

Main 

Afous. 

Doights                        Idudan* 

Pied 

Adar. 

Dieu                Aglid  moccoru. 

Oeil 

Alen. 

Soleil                           Taffoct. 

Bouche 

Imi. 

Lime                              Aioui*. 

Menton 

Tamart. 

Jour                                  Azal. 

Du  monde 

Medden. 

Nu  it                               Gayet. 

Encrier 

Tadouatz. 

Matin                                 Zik. 

Clef 

Tassarout. 

Soir                       Tedduguet. 

Ciseaux 
Couteau 

Touslinn. 
Hint. 

L'heureapres)   f  Ti^uerninn, 
Midi            }  i          ou 

Dent 

Ohzan. 

'   Douhbour. 

Langue 
Tete 
Hardes 

Us. 
Egf. 
Iberdan. 

TV                  -    \   (  Takouzinn, 
Deux  ou  trois  )   ! 

heures  apres  )   j 
"    el  Aassar. 

Oreille 
Oreilles 

Amzo*. 
Iinzgan. 

Coucher     |        (  Tcnouschi, 

Nez 

Inzar. 

(  elMosareb, 

Soulier 

i    Sebait, 
\  Adouco. 

Derniere  crepus-  )   (  Tenietz, 
cule                  )  \   Ascha. 

Souliers 

Idoucan. 

Hier                              Idgam. 

Livre 

Zifr. 

Domain                           Azca. 

252 


APPENDIX. 


Froid 
Chaleur 

Azzummeit. 
fargA. 

Dans  un    >  ' 
pen  d'ici  ) 

Ariat-zaat. 

Temps 
Beaucoup 

Elhhall. 
Behra. 

Vcnez 

f  Aschcat, 
\    Ascht. 

Peu 

Imik. 

Allez  vous  en. 

Souddo. 

Montague 

Adrer. 

Nombres. 

I. 

Ian. 

7. 

Za. 

2. 

Sin. 

8. 

Tarn. 

3. 

Crad. 

9. 

Tza. 

4. 

Cos. 

10. 

Meraou. 

5. 

Semmos. 

11. 

Ian  de  meraou. 

6. 

Seddes. 

12. 

Sin  de  meraou. 

A  VOCABULARY  OF  THE  SHOWIAH  LANGUAGE, 

Collected  in  Algiers,  through  the  agency  of  John  Freder- 
ick Schultze,  Esquire,  Secretary  to  the  Swedish  Con- 
sulate General,  and  of  M.  Joseph  Bensamon,  a  respect- 
able Hebrew  Interpreter.  The  orthography  of  the  first 
column  is  explained  in  the  subjoined  note*  by  M. 
Schultze  ;  that  of  the  second  column  is  English. 


Army,  an, 

Gassia. 

Arm,  the, 

Irril. 

Arms,  the, 

Igrallnick. 

Arm,  the  upper, 

Tigeltzint. 

Arm,  the  fore, 

Irrilick. 

Ass,  an, 

Agajoul. 

Ass,  an, 

Aghuil. 

Apples, 

Tefah. 

*  L'orthographe  Espagnole  ne  m'a  pas  paru  applicable,  en  toute  occasion,  pour 
bien  exprimer  la  prononciation  des  mots  de  la  langue  des  Cobayles,  parceque  la 
lettre  j,  clout  il  faut  se  servir  dans  quelques  mots,  doit  etre  pronoacee  d'apres 
1'orthographe  Italienne  et  jamais  comnie  la  lertre  j  des  Espagnols.  D'ailleurs 
la  lettre  guttural e  des  Cobayles  s'exprime  mieux  par  k  et  h  fondus  ensemble; 
ce  qui  produir  bien  un  son  assez  semblable  au  j  Espagnol,  mais  avec  la  differ- 
ence, qne  IP  son  uaturel  du  k  doit  se  faire  entendre  un  peu  plus  distinctement 
que  dans  \ej  dtfs  Espagnols. 

Tl  y  n,  tlnns  cette  belle  langue,  une  autre  lettre,  dont  le  son  est  egalement  fort 
r>.'ii  ;il)ie  ;  c'est  une  espece  de  monstre  que  j'appelerais  consonne-diphthongue, 
si  on  pouvait  s'exprimer  ainsi.  Le  son  en  est  compose  d'un  g  a  peine  louche 


APPENDIX.  253 


Boris, 

Isen. 

Bird,  a, 

./Egetit. 

Bird,  a, 

Agtit. 

Blood,  the, 

Idasmen. 

Bad, 

Bad, 

Efeh. 

Barley, 

Hurley, 

Tiemzin. 

1  •     ;id, 

Agarnm. 

Bread, 

Agaroum. 

Buttle,  a, 

^Emengry. 

et  'run  r  fortement  grasseyr,  amalgames  autant  que  possible,  pour  n'en  faire  qu'un 
scul  son.  Pour  indiquer  quand  les  deux  Icttres  doivent  etre  prononcees  de  tette 
munirre,  je  les  ai  marqt  ees  corame  les  voila  gr ;  partoutouelles  ne  sont  pas  ainsi 
marquees,  il  faut  les  prononcer  separement  comme  a  1'ordinaire. 

Les  Cobayles  ont  une  lettrc  dans  leur  langue,  qui  corresponde  parfaitement  a 
1'  ai  de  la  langue  Francaise,  ayant  un  son  entre  1'  a  et  e  ;  j'  ai  cru  pouvoir  la 
marquer  ainsi  <z  pour  la  distinguer  de  1'  a  ordinare. 

Ln  langue  des  Cobayles  est,  comme  celle  des  Arabes,  pourvue  de  plusieures 
especes  d*  s,  tres  difficiles  a  bien  distinguer  par  la  prononciation.  Deux  d'  entre 
eux  sont  les  plus  usites.  L' un  est  prononce  corame  le  *  simple  se  prononce 
dans  toutes  les  langues,  tandis  quel'autre  est  toujours  prononce  a  peu  pres 
comme  sh  des  Anglais;  j'ai  pourtant  prefere  de  le  figure  r  par  sch,  comme  dans 
les  mots,  Isch.  Horn,  Eschenity,  Sword,  et  autres,  puisqu'il  me  parait  que  les 
Cobayles  prononcent  cette  lettre  beaucoup  plus  largement,  si  on  pent  s'exprimer 
ainsi,  que  font  les  Anglais. 

77i,  dont  je   me  suis  servi,  dolt  etre  prononce  parfaitement  comme  dans  la 
langue  Anglaise,  par  exernple,  dans  le  mot,  the. 
Boy. — Garcon. — Acksclii^h. 
Girl.— Fille.— Tackschist. 
Woman. — Femme. — Tamtotz  ;  en  parlant  de  plusieures  ferames  qui  se  trovent 

ensemble  dans  un  meme  lieu,  on  dit  Khaleth. 

Young. — Jeune  et  Petit  s'expriment,  par  les  Cobayles,  d'une  seule   et  merne 
maniere.    Ainsi  ils  disent, 

Une  petite  porte,  Tevourt  ^Emsien. 
Un  jeune  homme,  ^Erges  ^msien. 
Une  petite  fille,  Tackschift  Taemsient. 
Ils  ont  encore  un  diminutif  pour  le  mot  Petit,  qui  signifie  done 

ires  petit  et  egalement  tres  court,— Abestout. 

Sheep.— Un  Mouton.— Ikeri ;  plur.  Ikerern ;  lafemelle,  Teksi ;  le  petit,  Isimer. 
Ox. — Bo3uf. — ^Ejoug  ;  Veau,  Adgemi. 

Valley.—  Vallon. — Asenik  ;  ce  meme  mot  signifie  aussi  une  rue. 
Eyes.— Un  Oeil,  Tet;  les  Yeux,  ElJIen. 
Arms. — Un  Bras,  Irril ;  les  Bras,  Igrallnick  ;   1'avant  bras,  Irrilik  ;  le  baut  du 

bras,  Tigeltzint. 

Legs. — Cuisse,  Emsat ;  Jamhe,  Atar ;  Pied  egalement,  Atar. 
Sword.— Sabre.— Escheniiy ;  ce  mot  signifie  egalement  Couteau. 


254 


APPENDIX. 


Beans,  horse, 
Boy,  a, 
Be,  to,  v. 
Beard,  the, 
Body,  the, 
Bull,  a, 
Breast,  the, 
Brother, 
Butter, 
Corn,  grain, 
Camel,  a, 


Ihbaun. 
Ackschish. 


Timesin, 
JElsegamd. 


Cattle,  flocks,  Actar. 

Cloak,  a,  or  mantle,     Abidy. 
Cat,  a  male,  Emshis. 

Cat,  a  female,          Temshist. 
Cow,  a,  Tesfunest. 

Calf,  a,  Adgemi. 

Cock,  a  Ejaset. 

a  Hen,  Tejaset. 

Country,  a  foreign, 

Mourt  Ibadim. 
Come  here,  la  garda. 

Coal,  carbon,     *        TirSeth' 


Be,  to,  v.  Akly. 

Beard,  the,  Tamert. 

Body,  the,  Trissa. 
Bull,  a,  Azguir,p/«r.  Esgarem. 

Breast,  the,  Ehaboae. 

Brother,  Eguia. 

Butter,  Aor  alkak. 

Corn,  Ynden. 

Camel,  a,     I     7          E]g°ra> 
(  plur.  Elogman. 

Cattle,  flocks,  Egenmy. 


Cow,  a, 


Tisley 


Cheese, 

Abagsi. 

Tivourt. 

Ouss,  or  Wess. 

Day,  the, 

Essa. 

Oussa,  or  Wessa. 

Theganee. 

Dates, 

Elmet. 

Death, 

Elmaut. 

f> 

Descend,  to, 

Ansoub. 

Do,  to, 

Anihdem. 

Cheese, 

Door,  a, 

Day,  the, 

Day,  to-, 

Dates, 

Death, 

Descend,  to, 

Do,  to, 

Dog,  a  male,          Ackeshiun. 

Dog,  a  female,    Tackeshiunt. 

Dog,  a  little,  or  puppy, 

Ackeshie. 

,.  i  f    Tivourt, 

Door.aLttle,         {  Mmslen\ 

Drink,  to, 

Earth,  the,  or  World,    Dunit. 
or  Soil,  /Ekel. 


Drink,  to,  Anisson. 

Earth,  the,  or  World,   Denia. 

or  Soil,  Elkaa. 


APPENDIX. 

Eyes,  the,         Ellen,  Sin  Tit. 

-p,                 (  Tet,  Emiza  an  in. 
*->'e'            1           y,///r.  A 

Enemy,  an, 

Aaeou. 

Enemies,  plur. 

Ehaaeniou. 

Eat,  to, 

Jaet  seht. 

' 

Ev\r,  an, 

Tigsy. 

Ewe,  an, 

Tigsi. 

Field,  a, 

Zjihal. 

Field,  a, 

Calm. 

Feet,  the, 

Atar. 

Face,  the, 

Face,  the, 

Alcaaeoiini. 

Fever,  a, 

Fever,  a, 

Toula. 

pv                  f  Tib   zin  zin,  or 
\  Tib  klm  zin  zin. 

Feet,  the,  Atar, 

same  as  legs. 

Flesh,  meat, 

Acksium. 

Flesh,  meat, 

Acksioum. 

Fool,  a,  or  madman, 

Fool,  a,  or  madman,  Emabout. 

Forest,  a, 

Forest,  a       Emadatamazorit. 

Friend,  a, 

Aaeou. 

Friends, 

Amiaeaktion. 

Fountain,  a, 

Fountain,  a 

Elenser. 

Grass,  the. 

Tuga. 

Grass,  the, 

Tuga. 

Goats, 

Tagat. 

Goat,  a, 

Tagat 

Girl,  a, 

Tackschist. 

Girl,  a, 

Tackshist. 

Grapes, 

Tisurin. 

Grapes, 

Tisaren. 

Go,  get  away, 

Rouha. 

Girl,  a  little, 

f  Tackschist 

(     tamsient. 

Give,  to, 

Give,  to, 

Adakfka. 

Good, 

Good, 

ElaUy. 

Great, 

Great, 

Amekran. 

Herd  of  cattle, 

Herd  of  cattle, 

Egenmy. 

Hill,  a, 

Timmery. 

Hill,  a, 

Tessount. 

Horn,  a, 

Isch. 

Head,  the, 

Akaroy. 

Hands,  the 

Effur,  Effiis. 

Horse,  a, 

Audin. 

Horse,  a, 

Hodin. 

House,  a,  ^Ekahan,  Ackham. 

Hair^  the, 

Eschebor. 

Hate,  to 

Hate,  to, 

Krnaht. 

Have,  to, 

Have,  to, 

Gory. 

Hell, 

Hell, 

Ouzal. 

Hillock, 

Hillock, 

Tissount. 

Hon. 

Hone}-. 

Tament. 

256 


APPENDIX. 


Jackall,  Ousherr. 

Light,  the,  Lemesebat. 

Legs,  tlie  Atar. 

the  Thigh,  Emjat. 

the  Feet,    Atar,  same 

as  legs. 

Lentils,  Laaeds. 

Lamb,  a,  Issimur. 

Lance,  a,  jEguget. 
Life, 
Little,  a, 
Love,  to, 
Moon,  the, 


Man,  a, 


Eejur. 
Jkses. 


Boy,  or  Lad,  Ackschesh. 


Woman, 

Girl, 

Mountain,  a, 
Mouth,  the 
Meat,  flesh, 
Me,  I, 
Mule,  a  male, 

a  female, 
My,  mine, 
My  horse, 


Tamtotz. 
Tackschist. 
jEderer. 
jEkermousch. 
Ack  sium. 
Nickhi. 
Eserdun. 
Tesserdunt. 
Inu. 
Audin  inu. 


Go,  bring  me  my  horse, 

Rouha  aeuid  audin  inu. 
Mud, 
Mare,  a, 
Milk, 
Money, 

Mouth,  or  moon, 
Much, 
Night,  the, 
Nation,  a, 
Nose,  the, 
Noses, 

Neck,  the,  Erkeba,  or  Agalib. 
No,          Ella,  Elda,  JEsid, 

Hasid,  JEla. 

Old,  ancient,  Ameghar. 

Ox,  an, 


Life,  Eder. 

Little,  a,  Amezian  Chouilak. 
Love,  to,  Bequeet. 

Moon,  the,  Ayur. 

Man,  a,  Ergas. 

Boy,  or  Lad,   Ackshish. 

Woman,  Tamtout. 

Girl,  Tackshist. 

Mountain,  a,  Adrar. 


Meat,  flesh, 


Acksium, 


uEberet. 

Mud, 

Acal. 

• 

Mare,  a, 

Tamgurt. 

Milk, 

Aifty. 

Money, 

Edrenun. 

Month,  or  moon, 

Agour. 

Much, 

Bouan. 

Gitt. 

Night,  the 

Eta. 

Medden. 

Tinfert. 

Enfern. 

Old,  ancient, 
Ox,  an, 


Amgar. 

Eyug. 


APPENDIX. 

257 

Cow,                 Teffunest. 

Cow, 

Tesley. 

Calf,                     Adgemi. 

Oil,                        Zuit,  Zeit. 

Oi], 

Ezit. 

Olives,                      Essemor. 

Olives, 

Tazunry. 

Olive  tree 

Olive  tree, 

Tazeraourt. 

Pen,  a  writing,    Effarujaseae. 
Prince,  or  chief,      ^Enresuar. 

Prince,  or  chief, 

Eghelid. 

Plain,  a,                          Lota. 

Plain,  a, 

Lauta. 

Partridge,  a,             Tescourt. 

People,  a, 

Gashi. 

Peace,                              Afia. 

River,  a,                        Igasar. 

Rain,                         Laehuva. 

Road,  or  way,             Ebbrid. 

Sun,  the,                   Teffuckt. 

Sun,  the, 

Yetig. 

Stars,  the,                       Ithre. 

Stars,  the, 

Yetran. 

Sky,  the,                   Ajiggena. 

Sheep,  a  male,    Ikeri, 

Sheep,  a, 

Tigsi. 

plur.  Ikerern. 

a  female,             Tegsi. 

a  lamb,               Isemer. 

Stomach,  the,                Abbot. 

Snow,                            Edfel. 

Snow, 

AdfeL 

Sand,                           JErmel. 

Sand, 

Ermel. 

Sabre,  sword,  knife,Eschaenuy. 

Sit  down,  to,     Kim  or  Khim. 

Sit  you  down,     Kim  kit  shini. 

Stone,  a,             Mbht,  Ablat. 

Stone,  a, 

Egunhy. 

Sleep,  to,                         Igen. 

Sickness, 

Sickness, 

Yoden. 

Slave,  a, 

Slave,  a, 

Akly. 

Shake,  to, 

Shake,  to, 

Azum. 

Something, 
Tent,  a,                      Khabba. 

Something, 
Tent,  a, 

Ksa. 

Elkba. 

Tobacco,  snuff,          Skimma. 

smoking,         Dockhan. 

Table,  a,                      JEluha. 

Town,  or  District,         Mourt. 

Take  away,  to,                Elef. 

Thigh,  the, 

Thigh,  the, 

Emjat. 

To-day,     JEuessa,  or  Wessa. 

To-day, 

Essa. 

To-morrow, 

To-morrow, 

Azegua. 

Tree,  a, 

Tree,  a, 

Sigra. 

33 

258 


APPENDIX 


Woman,  a,  Tamitut. 

Wood,  (fire-wood)       Sgaren. 


Valley,  a,    ^Esenick,  meaning 
also  a  Street. 

Woman,  a,  Tamtotz, 

several  women  together 

Khaleth. 

Wood,  fire,  Osgraren. 

Write,  to,  Ectib. 

Writing,  give  paper  for, 

Auviae  el  caret  ectibu. 
War,  Daemengry. 

Wind,  the,  Ato. 

Understand,  do  you  ?     Eselit. 
Water, 
Week, 
World,  the, 

Young,  and  Little,      JEmsien, 
e.  g.  a  little  door,  Tevourt  aem- 
sien ;    a  young  man,  Erges 
aemsien  ;  a  little  girl,  Tacks- 
chist  tsemsient. 
They  have  a  further  di- 
minutive, meaning  very  lit- 
tle, or  very  short,  which  is, 

Abestout. 
Yes,  E  E. 


Numerals. 

One,  Yeoun.     One,  luon. 

Two,  Sin.     Two,  Sin. 

The  remainder  in  the  Showiah  are  as  in  the  Arabic  ;  as  also 
ajre  the  names  of  the  metals  which  are  known  to  them. 


Water, 
Week, 
World,  the 
Young, 


Amaii. 
Gemha. 

Denia. 
Amsien* 


Pronouns. 


I,  or  me, 
Thou, 
He, 
We, 

You, 
They, 
Mine, 
Thine, 


Nickhy. 


Inu. 


I,  or  me, 
Thou, 
He, 
We, 

You, 
They, 
Mine, 
Thine, 


Neky. 

Goug. 

Neta. 

Nekny, 

Kanouy. 

Nutny. 

Enou. 

Inek. 


APPENDIX. 


My  hand. 
Thy  hand, 
His  hand, 
Your  hands, 
Their  hands, 
My  horse, 


Audin  inu. 


My  hand, 
Thy  hand, 
His  hand, 
Your  hands, 
Their  hands, 


Verbs. 

I  love, 
Thou  lovest, 
He  loves, 
We  love, 
You  love, 
They  love, 

Phrases. 


Afus. 

Afusis. 

Afusorien. 

Ifasen. 

Ifasen  ensen. 


Neky  thebit. 

Kecheny  thebit. 

Kechy  thebit. 

Nekny  thebit. 

Kanouy  thebit. 

Nutny  thebit. 


Good  morning,  Esbahala  hare. 
Good  evening,  Hemselah  hare. 


Good  morning,          Esbahala 
haireh. 

Good  evening,  Umselahhairah. 
Have  you  heard  ?  Eselit. 
Sit  you  down,  Kim  kit  shini. 
Come  hither,  la  garda. 

Give  paper  for  writing,  - 

Auviae  el  caret  ectibu. 
Which  is  the  way  to  the  Eng- 
lish garden  ?     Ensi  aebbrid 
hat  el  genan  Indis  ? 
Co  bring  my  horse,       Rouha 
seuid  audin  inu. 
Go  ta  your  country,       Rouha 
hat  mourtik. 

A.dou,  friend,  is  a  convertible  term,  meaning  also  enemy,  as  in 
some  other  ancient  languages,  the  Latin,  for  instance. 

VOCABULARY  OF  THE  MOZABI  LANGUAGE. 

Vocabulary  of  the  language  of  the  Mozabis,  which  appears  to 
be  a  dialect  of  the  Showiah.  Obtained  in  Algiers,  through 
the  agency  of  MM.  David  Bacri  and  Joseph  Bensaraon, 
respectable  Hebrew  Interpreters. 

Ass,  an,  Ariun.     Bird,  a,  Ageet. 

Bread,  Argoum.     Black,  Abukan. 

Buttor,.  Filerzee.     Boy,  a,  Atefly. 


260 


APPENDIX. 


Breast,  the,  Ehadis. 

Bad,  Dustin. 

Barley,  Temzeyenee. 

Body,  the,  Fristin  benadem. 
Camel,  a,  Ariun. 

City,  a,  Tamdint. 

Chief,  or  magistrate,  Temusny. 
Countenance,  the,  Udem. 
Cliin,  the,  Tmaret. 

Cow,  a,  Tafoonesset. 

Day,  or  light,  the,         Duges 


Day,  a, 

Dates, 
Eye,  the, 
Ears,  the, 
Enemy,  an, 
Figs, 
Field, 
Friend,  a, 
Fountain,  a, 
Goat,  a  she, 
Grapes, 
Girl,  a, 
Good, 
House,  ay 
Head,  the, 
Heavens,  the, 
Honey, 
Horse,  a, 
Lips,  the, 

Iron, 
Gold, 
Silver, 

1.  Egat, 

2.  Senet, 

3.  Sharot, 

4.  Eugest, 

5.  Semset* 

6.  Zet, 


Assiguin. 
Tininee. 
Titanin. 
Temezguin. 
Eladu. 
Temshem. 
Amezen. 
Amduglick. 
Elen  uaman. 
Alleem. 
Adillee. 
Taysuit. 
Douahdy. 
Tadart. 
Tabegna. 
Ajenee. 
Tenergom. 
Izee. 
Amburen. 


Light,  Edaw 

Mouth,  the,  Immy. 

Month,  a,  Eyur. 

Months  of  the  year, 

larnunnsugas. 
Moon,  the, 
Man,  a, 

woman 
Meat,  flesh 
Milk, 
Mare,  a, 
Mountain,  ; 
Nose,  the, 


Night,  the, 
No, 


Tezjeree. 
Erges. 
Tagenmeet. 
Assium. 
Amelelee. 
Afunest. 
Amzied. 
Tinzar. 
Dgeed. 
Eyuee. 


Prince,  or  chief,  a,  Temusny. 


River,  a, 
Sun,  the, 
Sheep,  a  fema  e, 
Slave,  a, 
Tree,  a, 
To-day, 
To-morrow, 
Tongue,  the, 
Wheat, 
White, 
Week,  a, 
Yes, 
Year,  a, 


Luad. 
Tfouit. 
Tizfrin. 
A'.>ei-Kan. 
Zejereet. 
Assu. 
Asha. 
Ilsick. 
Arden. 
Ameleleen. 
Elguemha. 
Hehee,  Ea,  Ee. 
Assugas. 


Metals. 

Uzal.     Copper, 
Urag.     Lead, 
Elfedet. 

Numerals. 
Ighem.     7.     Sal, 

Sen.     8.     Temmetj 
Chared.     9.     Tsat, 
Aquoz.     10.  Mereou, 


Dazuga. 
Ezezau. 


Sa. 
Tarn. 
Tess. 
Mrauw. 

Semess.     20.  Senet  mereou,  Se- 

Sejz.  ni  Djnrauw,  &c. 


APPENDIX.  261 

c. 

[Page  125.] 

NEGOTIATIONS  ON  THE  ABOLITION  OF  THE  SLAVE  TRADE. 

Translated  from  SchoeWs  abridged  History  of  Treaties  of 
Peace.     Vol.  XL ,  article)  Congress  of  Vienna. 

THE  origin  of  the  slave  trade  dates  from  the  beginning 
of  the  sixteenth  century.  The  Portuguese  had  the  sad 
honour  of  having  imagined  it.  It  was  in  1513,  that  they 
introduced  into  the  Spanish  colonies  in  America,  the  first 
negroes  purchased  in  Africa.  Bartholomew  Las  Casas, 
believing  that  he  saw  in  this  traffic  a  means  of  preserving 
the  aboriginals  of  the  Antilles  from  destruction,  proposed 
to  Cardinal  Ximenes  to  legalize  this  trade,  and  give  it  a 
regular  form.  The  Minister  rejected  the  project ;  but  in 
1517,  Charles  the  Fifth,  formally  authorized  it.  He  grant- 
ed to  his  favourite,  Bresa,  a  monopoly  for  the  annual  intro- 
duction of  four  thousand  black  slaves,  which  he  subse- 
quently ceded  to  the  Genoese.  In  England,  the  same 
trade  was  authorized  under  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  In 
France  it  was  not  done  until  the  time  of  Louis  the  Thir- 
teenth. 

The  negroes  inhabit  all  that  portion  of  Africa  south  and 
east  of  the  Sahara,  as  far  as  the  twenty-second  degree  of  south 
latitude.  The  Europeans  drove  this  traffic  at  various  places 
on  the  western,  and  at  Mozambique,  on  the  eastern  coast 
of  Africa.  Each  nation  that  took  part  in  this  trade,  fre- 
quented, in  preference,  certain  places,  where  generally 
fixed  establishments  were  formed.  It  was  there  that  mul- 
titudes of  slaves  were  brought  from  the  interior,  and  ex- 
changed for  brandy,  iron,  worthless  firearms,  and  other 
trifles.  It  is  pretended  that  in  the  space  of  three  centu- 
ries, the  Europeans  have  plundered  Africa,  through  this 
trade,  of  thirty  millions  of  inhabitants.  The  fraternity  of 
Quakers  were  the  first  who  emancipated  their  slaves:  and 


262  APPENDIX. 

since  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  they  have 
constantly  endeavoured  to  bring  about  the  entire  suppres- 
sion of  the  slave  trade.  In  1772,  Granville  Sharpe  caus- 
ed to  be  adopted  in  England  the  maxim  which  had  pre- 
vailed in  France  since  the  seventeenth  century,  that  the 
soil  of  Europe  gives  liberty  to  the  slave  who  treads  upon  it. 
Since  the  year  1780,  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade  has 
become  one  of  the  favourite  subjects  of  that  philanthropic 
philosophy,  to  which  we  owe  the  French  revolution. 
Clarkson,  one  of  the  most  zealous  defenders  of  the  rights 
of  the  negroes,  founded  the  society  known  under  the 
name  of  "  The  African  Institution,"  the  object  of  which 
was  the  emancipation  of  this  oppressed  class. 

The  majority  of  the  United  States  of  America  abolished 
the  slave  trade  ;  Maryland,  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  and 
Georgia,  situated  in  a  warm  climate,  thought  that  they  could 
not  dispense  with  negroes  in  the  culture  of  tobacco  and  rice. 
The  lot  of  the  slaves  in  the  British  Colonies  was  meliorat- 
ed by  the  law  called  "  the  consolidated  slave  law,"  which 
passed  in  1784,  and  which  furnishes  to  the  negroes  the 
means  of  acquiring  an  independent  peculium.  From  this 
epoch,  Wilberforce  pleaded  in  the  British  Parliament  the 
cause  of  this  class  of  men.  In  1788  William  Pitt  spoke 
in  their  favour  in  the  House  of  Commons.  He  found  ad- 
versaries in  the  merchants  of  Liverpool  and  Bristol,  who 
represented  to  Parliament,  that  in  order  to  maintain  the 
number  of  four  hundred  and  ten  thousand  blacks,  which 
existed  in  the  British  colonies,  an  annual  introduction  of 
ten  thousand  head  of  slaves  was  required  ;  that  the  Eng- 
lish purchased  thirty  thousand  yearly  in  Africa,  and  re- 
sold consequently  twenty  thousand  to  other  nations  ;  that 
the  acquisition  of  thirty  thousand  negroes  caused  the  ex- 
portation of  productions  of  British  manufacture  to  the 
amount  of  eight  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling,  which 
trade  caused  an  importation  into  Great  Britain  of  one 


APPENDIX.  263 

million  four  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling ;  and  in 
short,  that  the  tax  on  slaves  brought  two  hundred  and 
fifty-six  thousand  pounds  to  the  public  revenue. 

Although  the  first  attempt  of  the  friends  of  the  blacks 
was  unsuccessful,  they  were  not  discouraged.  Wilber- 
force  did  not  fail  to  reproduce,  at  each  session  of  Parlia- 
ment, his  motion  in  favour  of  the  Africans.  His  zeal,  and 
the  eloquence  of  Fox  succeeded  at  last  in  1792,  in  carrying 
the  motion  in  the  House  of  Commons  for  the  abolition  of 
the  slave  trade,  to  commence  from  that  year,  by  a  majori- 
ty of  only  nineteen  votes  ;  but  the  House  of  Lords  reject- 
ed this  bill,  as  they  also  did  that  which  Wilberforce  caus- 
ed to  pass  in  the  Commons  in  1794,  which  prohibited  the 
sale  of  negroes  by  British  subjects  to  foreigners.  Wilber- 
force reproduced,  in  1796,  his  motion  for  the  abolition  of 
the  slave  trade ;  he  was  feebly  seconded  by  Pitt,  and  the 
bill  was  again  lost.  However,  it  was  easily  foreseen  that 
the  cause  of  the  negroes  would  ultimately  triumph. 
Eighteen  years  discussion  in  Parliament  had  prepared  the 
public  mind  for  it,  and  the  planters  had  had  time  to  take 
their  precautions.  It  was  thought  that  in  1806  the  mo- 
ment had  arrived,  when,  without  serious  inconvenience, 
they  could  render  homage  to  the  principle  of  philanthro- 
py. On  the  tenth  of  June  of  this  year,  the  House  of 
Commons  decreed  the  principle  of  the  abolition  ;  but  the 
final  act  was  not  passed  until  the  sixth  of  February,  1807. 
The  first  of  January,  1808,  was  fixed  as  the  term  until 
when  the  slave  trade  might  be  legally  pursued.  The  law 
was  reinforced  on  the  fourth  of  May  1811,  by  a  penal  act 
against  its  violators. 

It  is  remarkable  that  as  soon  as  the  British  Parliament 
had  resolved  on  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade,  they  sup- 
plicated the  King  to  open  negotiations  with  other  powers, 
in  order  to  obtain  their  accession  to  the  measure.  Such 
a  step  by  a  nation,  which,  jealous  of  its  own  independence, 


APPENDIX. 

ought  to  respect  that  of  other  governments,  and  which  is 
generally  so  indifferent  to  what  passes  elsewhere,  has 
something  in  it  which  excites  our  astonishment. 

This  step  has  since  been  renewed,  and  particularly  in  the 
beginning  of  May  1814,  a  motion  was  brought  forward  by 
the  ministers  of  Great  Britain,  for  pressing  the  abolition  of 
the  slave  trade  by  other  powers.  The  sacred  rights  of  hu- 
manity, and  the  maxims  of  Christianity  were  invoked,  and 
these  orators  exalted  the  magnanimity  of  the  British  gov- 
ernment. We  wish  to  believe  that  posterity  will  confirm 
these  eulogiums  when  the  same  authority  shall  have  abol- 
ished the  impress  of  seamen  ;  when  the  British  navy  shall 
have  reduced  the  piratical  states  of  Barbary  ;  when  the 
two  Houses  of  Parliament  shall  no  longer  resound  in  vain 
with  accusations  against  the  oppressors  of  the  Hindoos. 
Great  Britain,  however,  has  not  the  glory  of  being  the  first 
to  abolish  the  slave  trade.  Denmark  had  set  her  the  ex- 
ample, in  1794.  This  absolute,  though  paternal  govern- 
ment, gave  ten  years  to  her  planters  to  prepare  for  the 
new  order  of  things.  On  the  first  of  January,  1804,  the 
slave  trade  ceased  in  all  the  Danish  settlements.  The 
Gazettes  of  the  times  hardly  noticed  this  ordinance, 
abounding  in  wisdom.  Christian  the  Seventh  did  not  no- 
tify it  to  any  government.  The  first  result  of  the  negotia- 
tions of  the  British  Ministers  with  other  powers  for  obtain- 
ing the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade,  was  the  tenth  article 
of  the  treaty  of  alliance  of  Rio  Janeiro,  by  which  "  Portu- 
gal promises  to  co-operate  with  Great  Britain  in  the  cause 
of  humanity  and  justice,  in  taking  the  most  efficacious 
measures  for  abolishing  successively  in  all  states  the  trade 
in  slaves."  Portugal  further  promises,  "  that  thereafter  it 
shall  not  be  permitted  to  any  Portuguese  subject  to  trade 
for  negroes  in  any  parts  of  Africa,  which  do  not  belong  to 
Portugal,  and  in  which  the  other  powers  of  Europe,  for- 
merly carrying  on  this  trade  there,  have  renounced  the 


APPENDIX.  Ji;."> 

same.  Nevertheless,  his  Royal  Highness  reserves  to  his 
subjects  the  right  of  purchasing  slaves  in,  and  exporting 
them  from  the  Portuguese  possessions  on  the  coast  of 
Africa."  It  is  remarkable  that  in  this  article  the  Prince 
Regent  of  Portugal  binds  himself  to  little  or  nothing,  as 
the  Portuguese  possessions  in  Africa  are  precisely  the 
great  markets  for  slave  dealing. 

After  Portugal,  Sweden  was  the  first  power  that  Great 
Britain  engaged  to  adhere  to  this  measure,  "  enjoined  by 
morality  and  Christianity."  The  court  of  Stockholm  pro- 
mised by  a  separate  article  of  the  treaty  of  alliance  of  the 
third  of  March,  1813,  to  prohibit  the  introduction  of  slaves 
into  the  island  of  Guadaloupe,  which  an  article  of  this 
treaty  cedes  to  her,  and  in  her  other  possessions,  and  to 
prohibit  Swedish  subjects  from  meddling  at  all  with  the 
trade  in  slaves. 

By  the  eighth  article  of  the  treaty  of  peace  of  Kiel,  the 
King  of  Denmark,  whose  father  had  already  proscribed 
the  slave  trade  in  all  the  colonies  and  dependencies  of  his 
crown,  in  1794,  engages  to  prohibit  his  subjects  from  tak- 
ing any  part  in  this  trade  in  other  countries. 

France  did  not  authorize  the  slave  trade,  until  long  after 
Spain  and  England  had  done  so;  but  in  this  country  the  fine 
maxim  has  always  obtained,  that  whoever  puts  his  foot  upon 
the  French  soil  in  Europe  is  free ;  a  maxim  which,  as  we 
have  previously  said,  was  not  recognised  by  the  English 
courts  until  1772,  through  the  exertions  of  Granville 
Sharpe.  The  liberty  of  the  negroes  was  a  favourite  theme 
of  the  orations  of  the  authors  of  the  French  revolution. 
The  National  Convention,  which  shed  so  much  innocent 
blood,  and  trampled  religion  and  morality  under  foot,  de- 
creed the  liberty  of  the  negroes.  The  imprudence  of  this 
measure  (if  its  authors  were  only  imprudent)  was  the 
source  of  horrible  calamities,  the  recital  of  which  is  with- 
out our  subject.  As  soon  as  Louis  the  Eighteenth  was 
34 


266  APPENDIX. 

restored  to  the  throne  of  his  fathers,  Great  Britain  solicited 
of  him  the  prohibition  of  the  slave  trade  to  his  subjects. 
The  solicitude  of  the  King  for  the  good  of  his  subjects, 
prevailed  in  his  paternal  heart  over  principles  advanced  in 
the  name  of  humanity ;  he  agreed  to  interdict  to  stran- 
gers the  sale  of  slaves  in  all  the  French  colonies,  tolerating 
the  same  to  Frenchmen  only,  until  the  first  of  June,  1819, 
in  order  to  afford  to  the  planters  the  time  necessary  to 
prepare  themselves  for  a  new  order  of  things.  He  pro- 
mised also  to  unite  thereafter  in  Congress  his  efforts  to 
those  of  England  for  procuring  a  general  abolition  of  the 
trade  in  slaves.  Such  were  the  engagements  which  the 
King  of  France  entered  into  by  the  first  additional  article 
of  the  treaty  of  the  thirtieth  of  May,  1814,  with  Great 
Britain.  Before  leaving  Paris,  Lord  Castlereagh  commu- 
nicated this  article  by  a  circular  to  the  Ministers  of  Aus- 
tria, of  Prussia,  and  of  Russia,  and  demanded  the  co-oper- 
ation of  these  powers,  who  possess  no  colonies,  in  the 
abolition  of  a  traffic  "  contrary  to  nature  and  to  humanity." 
They  promised  to  second  the  proposition  for  the  general 
abolition  of  the  slave  trade  at  the  approaching  Congress. 
The  sovereign  Prince  of  the  Netherlands  took  a  step 
further  ;  his  decree  of  the  fifteenth  of  June,  1815,  establish- 
es that  no  ship  destined  to  convoy  vessels  engaged  in  the 
slave  trade  from  the  coast  of  Africa,  or  any  island  belonging 
to  that  part  of  the  globe,  to  the  continent  or  islands  of 
America  shall  be  cleared  from  any  port  situated  in  the 
territory  of  the  Netherlands ;  that  no  vessel  destined  or 
equipped  for  the  slave  trade,  shall  be  admitted  by  the 
government  general  of  the  Netherlands,  on  the  coast  of 
Guinea;  and  that  no  inhabitant  of  those  countries  shall 
be  sold  or  exported  as  a  slave.  This  decree  does  not 
prohibit  the  introduction  of  negroes  into  the  Dutch  colo- 
nies, because  at  the  epoch  when  it  was  promulgated, 
these  colonies  were  still  in  the  hands  of  Great  Britain. 


APPENDIX.  2G7 

When  the  latter  engaged  by  the  convention  of  the  thir- 
teenth of  August  to  restore  them,  the  sovereign  Prince  of 
the  Netherlands  prohibited  his  subjects  from  taking  any 
part  whatever  in  the  slave  trade. 

After  the  peace  of  Paris,  Lord  Castlereagh  made  new 
propositions  to  the  French  government,  having  for  their 
object  to  obtain  more  than  had  been  promised  by  the  ad- 
ditional article,  either  by  abridging  the  term  of  five  years, 
or  by  reducing  the  importation  of  negroes  into  the  French 
colonies  to  the  number  necessary  for  replacing  such  as 
were  wanting  on  the  estates  already  existing,  without  its 
being  permitted  to  import  any  for  the  purposes  of  clearing 
or  establishing  new  plantations.  The  British  Minister 
wished  particularly  to  prevent  the  renewal  of  the  trade  on 
the  coast  of  Africa  situated  north  of  the  Equator.  He 
demanded  that  English  cruisers  should  be  authorized  to 
seize  such  French  vessels  carrying  slaves  as  they  might 
meet  with  within  the  excluded  district,  and  thus  recipro- 
cally. 

On  the  fifth  of  August,  the  Prince  Regent  wrote  with 
his  own  hand  to  the  King  of  France,  proposing  to  him  a 
concert  in  measures  tending  to  the  absolute  abolition  of  a 
traffic  so  inhuman.  Louis  the  Eighteenth  replied  to  this 
epistle  on  the  second  of  September,  engaging  to  ordain 
that  during  the  term  of  five  years,  the  slave  trade  should 
be  permitted  only  under  gradual  restrictions.  Lord 
Wellington,  then  Ambassador  at  Paris,  had  orders  to  pro- 
pose, further,  the  prohibition  of  importation  of  colonial 
productions  from  the  territory  of  powers  who  should  refuse 
to  take  part  in  the  concert  for  the  abolition  of  the  slave 
trade.  Still  further  propositions  were  made.  In  the 
month  of  September  an  offer  was  made  to  France,  either 
of  a  sum  of  money  for  the  indemnification  of  such  persons 
as  might  suffer  by  the  immediate  abolition  of  slavery,  or 
the  cession  to  her  of  an  island  in  the  West  Indies.  The 


268  APPENDIX. 

French  government  refused  both  offers,  and  referred  the 
discussion  to  the  Congress  of  Vienna.  They  restricted, 
however,  the  French  trade  for  slaves,  by  a  circular  of  the 
eighth  of  October,  to  that  part  of  the  coast  of  Africa 
which  is  situated  south  of  cape  Formosa. 

On  the  fifth  of  July,  1314,  there  was  concluded  at  Ma- 
drid a  treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  Spain.  Sir 
Henry  Wellesley,  who  negotiated  it,  endeavoured  to  in- 
sert an  article  by  which  the  King  of  Spain  should  engage 
to  prohibit  the  importation  of  slaves  into  his  colonies,  and 
to  take  efficacious  measures  to  prevent  his  subjects  from 
taking  any  part  in  the  slave  trade.  The  Duke  de  San 
Carlos,  minister  of  Ferdinand  the  Seventh,  remarked,  that 
at  the  epoch  of  the  abolition  of  this  trade  in  England,  the 
number  of  negroes  in  her  colonies  was,  in  relation  to  the 
white  inhabitants,  as  twenty  to  one  ;  that  nevertheless  the 
British  legislature  had  employed  twenty  years  in  effecting 
the  abolition ;  that  in  the  Spanish  colonies  on  the  contra- 
ry there  were  not  more  negroes  than  white  inhabitants ; 
from  whence  this  Minister  inferred  that  it  ought  not  to  be 
required  of  Spain  to  adopt  suddenly,  a  measure  that  might 
jeopardize  the  existence  of  her  colonies.  All  that  could 
be  obtained  of  the  Spanish  government  was  a  separate 
article,  by  which  the  Catholic  king  engages  to  interdict 
to  his  subjects  the  trade  in  slaves,  so  far  as  its  object 
might  be  the  supply  of  negroes  to  any  other  than  the 
colonies  and  possessions  of  Spain,  and  to  hinder  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Spanish  flag  being  given  to  foreigners  en- 
gaged in  this  trade.  After  the  signature  of  the  treaty, 
Sir  Henry  Wellesley  continued  his  negotiations  at  the 
court  of  Madrid,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  some  further 
concession.  To  this  end  he  offered  the  continuation  of 
the  subsidies,  and  pecuniary  supplies  required  by  the  state 
of  the  Spanish  finances.  On  the  twenty-second  of  Octo- 
ber, 1814,  the  court  of  Madrid  offered  to  restrict  the  trade 


APPENDIX. 

during  the  term  of  eight  years,  between  the  equator  and 
the  tenth  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  to  abolish  it  en- 
tirely after  that  period.  The  British  government  reject- 
ed this  proposition,  because  the  line  of  demarcation 
comprehended  that  part  of  the  coast  of  Africa, where  the 
slave  trade  had  ceased  long  since.  The  negotiations  of 
Madrid  led  to  no  further  results. 

The  negotiations  which  Lord  Castlereagh  opened  even 
at  Vienna  with  Portugal  were  not  more  successful.  Two 
conventions  were  there  concluded  between  this  pow- 
er and  Great  Britain;  one  on  the  twenty-iirst,  the  other 
on  the  twenty-second  of  January,  1815.  By  the  first, 
Great  Britain  gave  satisfaction  to  Portugal  for  several 
Portuguese  vessels^  taken  by  British  cruisers,  in  the 
exercise  of  the  slave  trade,  interdicted,  as  the  captors 
pretended,  by  the  treaty  of  Rio  Janeiro,  of  the  nineteenth 
of  February,  1810.  She  paid  to  the  Prince  Regent  of 
Portugal  the  sum  of  three  hundred  thousand  pounds  ster- 
ling, to  be  divided  amongst  the  sufferers  by  these  captures, 
which  were  at  least  arbitrary.  The  second  convention, 
concluded  on  the  next  day,  contains  the  following  stipu- 
lations. Article  1st,  the  absolute  prohibition  to  Portu- 
guese subjects  of  carrying  on  the  slave  trade  on  any  part 
of  the  coast  of  Africa,  situated  north  of  the  equator.  Ar- 
ticle 2d,  Portuguese  vessels  engaged  in  the  slave  trade 
south  of  the  line  shall  not  be  molested  during  the  time 
in  which  such  trade  may  be  authorized  by  the  laws  of 
Portugal,  and  by  the  treaties  subsisting  between  the  two 
crowns.  Article  4th,  the  treaty  of  Rio  Janeiro,  of  the 
nineteenth  of  February,  1810,  having  been  based  on 
momentary  circumstances,  which  have  ceased  to  exist,  is 
annulled,  without  prejudice  to  former  treaties,  which  are 
renewed  and  confirmed  ;  the  contracting  parties  reserv- 
ing to  themselves  to  determine  by  a  special  treaty,  the 
epoch  when  the  slave  trade  shall  cease  throughout  the 


270  APPENDIX. 

Portuguese  dominions.  Thus  Great  Britain  renounced 
the  right  which  the  eighth  article  of  the  treaty  of  Rio 
Janeiro  granted  to  her,  of  entering  the  ports  of  Portugal 
with  any  number  of  vessels  of  war  that  she  might  judge 
proper,  and  submitted  anew  to  the  dispositions  of  former 
treaties,  which  limit  the  number  to  six  sail.  Great  Britain 
renounces,  by  the  fifth  article  what  may  be  yet  due  to 
her  from  Portugal  on  account  of  a  loan  of  six  hundred 
thousand  pounds  sterling,  made  in  London,  consequent  to 
a  convention  of  the  twenty-first  of  April,  1809.  rlhis 
convention  is  unknown. 

In  a  conference  of  the  eight  powers,  on  the  sixteenth  of 
January,  1815,  Lord  Castlereagh  proposed  the  institution 
of  a  special  committee  to  consider  of  the  means  necessary 
for  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade.  Portugal  and  Spain 
opposed  this  proposition,  on  the  ground  that  all  the  pow- 
ers having  agreed  on  the  principle  of  the  abolition,  its 
execution  concerned  only  those  who  possess  colonies. 
Austria,  Prussia,  Russia,  and  Sweden,  remarked,  that  the 
intervention  of  powers  not  directly  interested  in  the  ques- 
tion, would  be  useful  in  conciliating  opinions.  The  proposi- 
tion for  the  appointment  of  a  committee  was  rejected,  but 
the  Plenipotentiaries  of  the  eight  powers  consecrated  four 
special  sessions  to  this  discussion. 

The  Plenipotentiary  of  Great  Britain  made  a  triple  pro- 
position. 1st,  That  all  the  powers  should  proclaim  their 
adhesion  to  the  general  principle  of  the  abolition  of  the 
slave  trade,  and  their  wish  to  realize  the  measure  within 
the  shortest  time  practicable.  2d,  That  the  possibility 
of  an  immediate  abolition  should  be  examined,  or  at  least 
of  an  approximation  to  it  of  the  term  fixed  by  each  power 
for  a  definitive  abolition.  3d,  An  examination  of  the 
means  of  obtaining  immediately  a  partial  abolition  of  this 
traffic. 


APPENDIX.  271 

The  first  proposition  met  with  no  difficulty,  as  soon  as, 
on  the  demand  of  the  Plenipotentiaries  of  Spain  and  Por- 
tugal, those  of  the  other  powers  agreed  to  insert  in  the 
declaration  a  restriction  relative  to  the  term  of  the  aboli- 
tion. Such  was  not  the  case  respecting  the  second  pro- 
position. The  Plenipotentiary  of  France  refused  to  re- 
duce to  three  the  number  of  five  years,  as  agreed  to  by 
Louis  the  Eighteenth,  by  the  additional  article  of  the 
treaty  of  Paris  ;  he  promised  that  in  the  interval,  measures 
should  be  taken  effectually  to  discourage  the  slave  trade, 
and  to  accelerate,  as  far  as  possible,  the  time  of  its  aboli- 
tion. The  Plenipotentiaries  of  Spain  and  Portugal  de- 
clared that  their  instructions  positively  forbade  them  to 
relax  any  thing  from  the  term  of  eight  years.  The  Plenipo- 
tentiary of  Portugal  added,  that  his  government  required, 
as  an  indispensable  condition  to  this  final  abolition,  that 
Great  Britain  should  on  her  part,  cede  to  some  changes  in 
the  commercial  system  between  the  two  states.  These 
changes  are  nothing  short  of  the  abolition  of  the  treaty  of 
commerce  of  the  nineteenth  of  February,  1810. 

The  third  proposition  of  Lord  Castlereagh  had  for  its 
object  the  immediate  prohibition  of  the  slave  trade  on  that 
part  of  the  coast  of  Africa,  situated  north  of  the  equator. 
He  said  on  this  occasion,  that  England  having  been  in 
possession  during  the  late  war  of  all  the  European  estab- 
lishments on  the  coast  of  Africa  north  of  the  line,  and 
having  prohibited  the  trade  in  slaves  there,  agriculture 
and  industry  had  augmented  to  such  a  degree,  that  the 
value  of  productions  exported,  which  previously  amounted 
only  to  eighty  thousand  pounds,  had  risen  to  a  million 
sterling.  The  proposition  in  question  was  discussed  in 
the  session  of  the  twenty-eighth  of  February,  after  the 
formal  consent  of  Portugal.  The  Ministers  of  France  and 
Spain  held  to  the  engagements  which  their  courts  had 
previously  entered  into,  respecting  a  partial  abolition, 


272  APPENDIX. 

declaring  that  they  had  no  farther  instructions  on  this 
point.  These  three  questions  having  been  sufficiently 
discussed,  Lord  Castlereagh  proposed  on  the  fourth  of 
February,  that  the  Ministers  of  the  eight  powers  accredit- 
ed at  Paris  and  London,  with  those  of  such  other  powers 
as  pleased  to  join  them,  should  treat  conjointly  of  the 
questions  which  remain  to  be  regulated,  respecting  the 
complete  abolition  of  the  slave  trade.  The  Minister  of 
Spain  formally  opposed  this  measure  as  unbecoming  and 
useless ;  those  of  France  and  Portugal  took  the  proposi- 
tion ad  referendum ;  thus  nothing  further  was  done  in  it. 
A  new  proposition  mude  by  the  British  Plenipotentiary, 
was  still  more  ungraciously  received.  He  proposed  that 
the  powers  united  in  Congress  should  declare  that  if  the 
trade  in  slaves  were  continued  by  any  state  beyond  a  term 
justified  by  motives  of  real  necessity,  they  would  take 
measures  to  prohibit  the  introduction  into  their  respective 
territories  of  the  produce  of  such  colonies  as  permitted 
the  importation  of  slaves,  and  would  permit  the  importa- 
tion of  colonial  products  only  from  those  colonies  where 
this  traffic  was  no  longer  tolerated,  or  from  "  those  vast 
regions  of  the  globe  which  furnish  the  same  productions 
by  the  labour  of  their  own  inhabitants."  These  vast  re- 
gions are  the  English  possessions  in  the  East  Indies,  the 
interests  of  which  are  found  to  be  conformable  to  the 
"  principles  of  humanity  and  religion,"  but  which  care  was 
taken  not  to  name  in  this  negotiation.  Europe  will  be- 
come tributary  to  these  countries  when  her  colonies  in 
America  shall  cease  to  be  productive  from  the  want  of 
hands  to  cultivate  them.  The  Ministers  of  Spain  and 
Portugal  declared  that  the  admission  of  such  a  system 
would  authorize  reprisals  on  the  part  of  the  power  against 
whom  it  should  be  applied,  who  would  then  be  compelled 
in  self-defence  to  enact  prohibitory  laws  against  the  most 
useful  branch  of  trade  of  the  power  thus  applying  it.  The 


APPENDIX.  273 

other  Plenipotentiaries  thought  that  such  a  measure  did 
not  possess  any  hostile  character,  and  might  be  adopted. 
The  only  result  of  these  negotiations  was  the  declaration 
which  the  eight  powers  signed  on  the  eighth  of  February 
1815.  By  this  wise  and  moderate  act,  the  powers  adhere 
to  the  principle  promulgated  in  the  first  additional  article 
of  the  treaty  of  Paris,  between  France  and  Great  Britain  ; 
they  manifest  a  sincere  desire  to  concur  in  the  prompt 
and  efficacious  execution  of  measures  tending  to  the  abo- 
lition of  the  slave  trade ;  they  recognise,  however,  that 
this  declaration  ought  not  to  prejudge  the  term  that  each 
power  in  particular  may  deem  the  most  convenient  for  the 
definitive  abolition  of  the  tradean  negro  slaves,  and  that 
consequently  the  determination  of  the  epoch  when  this 
trade  ought  to  cease  universally,  shall  be  the  subject  of 
negotiation  between  the  powers,  pp.  171 — 189. 

DELIBERATIONS  OF  THE  CONGRESS  ON  THE  CLAIMS  OF  THE 
ORDER  OF  MALTA. 

A  question  which  arose  out  of  the  claims  of  the  Order 
of  Malta  was  that  of  the  means  of  putting  a  term  to  the 
piratical  practices  of  the  states  of  Barbary.  The  Minis- 
ters of  Great  Britain,  who,  with  the  sovereigns  assembled 
in  Congress  invoked  even  the  rights  of  humanity  in  favour 
of  the  abolition  of  the  trade  in  negro  slaves  on  the  west 
coast  of  Africa,  appeared  to  be  very  indifferent  to  this  oth- 
er species  of  slave  trade,  which  to  the  misfortune  of  hu- 
manity, and  to  the  shame  of  Europe,  the  banditti  of  the 
north  coast  of  Africa  exercise  in  the  Mediterranean  and 
even  in  the  ocean.  It  is  true  that  Great  Britain  possesses 
the  means  of  chastising  their  insolence  when  they  fail  in 
respect  to  her  flag,  and  that  she  has  no  interest  in  adopt- 
ing measures  for  the  security  of  the  trade  of  other  nations 
in  the  markets  of  the  Mediterranean,  pp.  401,  402. 

35 


274  APPENDIX. 

D. 

[Page  126.] 

THE  AMERICAN  COMMISSIONERS  TO  THE  DEY  OF  ALGIERS. 

The  undersigned  have  the  honour  to  inform  his  High- 
ness, the  Dey  of  Algiers,  that  they  have  been  appointed 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America,  Com- 
missioners to  treat  of  peace  with  his  Highness,  and  that, 
pursuant  to  their  instructions,  they  are  ready  to  open  a 
negotiation  for  the  restoration  of  peace  and  harmony  be- 
tween the  two  countries,  on  terms  just  and  honourable  to 
both  parties  ;  and  they  feel  it  incumbent  upon  them  to 
state  explicitly  to  his  Highness,  that  they  are  instructed 
to  treat  upon  no  other  principle,  than  that  of  perfect 
equality,  and  on  the  terms  of  the  most  favoured  nations. 
No  stipulation  for  paying  any  tribute  to  Algiers  under  any 
form  whatever,  will  be  agreed  to. 

The  undersigned  have  the  honour  to  transmit,  herewith, 
a  letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  ;  and  they 
avail  themselves  of  this  occasion  to  assure  his  Highness 
of  their  high  consideration  and  profound  respect. 

/e<-        i  \       WM.  SHALER, 
(Signed.) 

U.  S.  ship  Guerriere, 
Bay  of  Algiers,  29th  June,  1815. 


JAMES    MADISON,  PRESIDENT  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES,    TO    HIS 
HIGHNESS  THE  DEY  OF  ALGIERS. 

Your  Highness  having  declared  war  against  the  United 
States  of  America,  and  made  captives  of  some  of  their 
citizens,  and  done  them  other  injuries  without  cause,  thp 


APPENDIX.  275 

Congress  of  the  United  States  at  its  last  session  authorized 
by  a  deliberate  and  solemn  act,  hostilities  against  your 
government  and  people.  A  squadron  of  our  ships  of  war 
is  sent  into  the  Mediterranean  sea,  to  give  effect  to  this 
declaration.  It  will  carry  with  it  the  alternative  of  peace 
or  war.  It  rests  with  your  government  to  choose  between 
them.  We  persuade  ourselves  that  your  Highness,  con- 
trasting the  miseries  of  war,  with  the  advantages  resulting 
from  a  friendly  intercourse  with  a  rising  nation,  will  be 
disposed  to  return  to  those  amicable  relations  which  had 
so  long  subsisted  between  our  two  countries,  and  thus 
meet  the  views  of  this  government,  whose  leading  princi- 
ple is  peace  and  friendship  with  all  nations.  But  peace, 
to  be  durable,  must  be  founded  on  stipulations  equally 
beneficial  to  both  parties,  the  one  claiming  nothing  which 
it  is  not  willing  to  grant  to  the  other ;  and  on  this  basis 
alone  will  its  attainment  or  preservation  by  this  govern- 
ment be  desirable. 

I  have  authorized  William  Shaler,  one  of  our  distin- 
guished citizens,  and  Commodore  Bainbridge  and  Commo- 
dore Decatur,  commanders  of  the  fleet,  to  conclude  a 
peace  with  your  Highness.  They  will  send  this  letter  to 
you.  I  make  this  communication  from  a  sincere  desire 
that  the  honourable  opportunity  which  it  affords  to  your 
Highness  to  prefer  peace  to  war  will  be  improved. 

Written  at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  twelfth  day  of 
April,  A.  D.  1815. 

(Signed.)         JAMES  MADISON. 

By  the  President. 

(Signed.)        JAMES  MONROE. 

Secretary  of  State. 


276  APPENDIX. 

E. 

[Page  131.] 

LETTER    FROM  THE  DEY  OF  ALGIERS    TO    THE    PRESIDENT    OF 
THE  UNITED  STATES. 

(Translation.) 

With  the  aid  and  assistance  of  Divinity,  and  in  the  reign 
of  our  sovereign,  the  asylum  of  the  world,  powerful  and 
great  monarch,  transactor  of  all  good  actions,  the  best  of 
men,  the  shadow  of  God,  director  of  the  good  order,  king 
of  kings,  supreme  ruler  of  the  world,  emperor  of  the  earth, 
emulator  of  Alexander  the  Great,  possessor  of  great  forces, 
sovereign  of  the  two  worlds,  and  of  the  seas,  king  of 
Arabia  and  Persia,  emperor,  son  of  an  emperor  and  con- 
queror, Mahmoud  Khan,  (may  God  end  his  life  with  pros- 
perity, and  his  reign  be  everlasting  and  glorious,)  his  hum- 
ble and  obedient  servant,  actual  sovereign  Governor  and 
Chief  of  Algiers,  submitted  forever  to  the  orders  of  his 
Imperial  Majesty's  noble  throne,  Omar  Pachavv,  (may  his 
government  be  happy  and  prosperous,) 

To  his  Majesty,  the  Emperor  of  America,  its  adjacent 
and  dependent  provinces  and  coasts,  and  wherever  his  gov- 
ernment may  extend,  our  noble  friend,  the  support  of  the 
kings  of  the  nation  of  Jesus,  the  pillar  of  all  Christian 
sovereigns,  the  most  glorious  amongst  the  princes,  elect- 
ed amongst  many  lords  and  nobles,  the  happy,  the  great, 
the  amiable  Jamas  Madison,  Emperor  of  America,  (may  his 
reign  be  happy  and  glorious,  and  his  life  long  and  prosper- 
ous,) wishing  him  long  possession  of  the  seal  of  his  blessed 
throne,  and  long  life  and  health,  Amen.  Hoping  that 
your  health  is  in  good  state,  I  inform  you  that  mine  is 
excellent,  thanks  to  the  Supreme  Being,  constantly  ad- 
dressing my  humble  prayers  to  the  Almighty  for  your  fe- 
licity. 


APPENDIX.  277 

After  many  years  have  elapsed,  you  have  at  last  sent  a 
squndron,  commanded  by  Admiral  Decatur,  your  im-t 
humble  servant,  for  the  purpose  of  treating  of  peace  with 
us.  I  received  the  letter  of  which  he  was  the  bearer,  and 
understood  its  contents;  the  enmity  which  was  between 
us  having  been  extinguished,  you  desired  to  muLe  peace 
as  France  and  England  have  done.  Immediately  after 
the  arrival  of  your  squadron  in  our  harbour,  I  sent  my 
answer  to  your  servant  the  Admiral,  through  the  medium 
of  the  Swedish  Consul,  whose  proposals  I  was  disposed  to 
agree  to,  on  condition  that  our  frigate  and  sloop  of  war, 
taken  by  you,  should  be  returned  to  us,  and  brought  back 
to  Algiers  ;  on  these  conditions  we  would  sign  peace 
according  to  your  wishes  and  request.  Our  answer  hav- 
ing thus  been  explained  to  your  servant  the  Adm'.ral  by 
the  Swedish  Consul,  he  agreed  to  treat  with  us  on  the 
above  mentioned  conditions ;  but  having  afterwards  in- 
sisted upon  the  liberation  of  all  American  citizens,  as  well 
as  upon  a  certain  sum  of  money,  for  several  merchant  ves- 
sels made  prizes  of  by  us,  and  of  other  objects  belonging 
to  the  Americans,  we  did  not  hesitate  a  moment  to  com- 
ply with  his  wishes,  and  in  consequence  of  which  we  have 
restored  to  the  said  Admiral,  your  servant,  all  that  he  de- 
manded from  us.  In  the  mean  time,  the  said  Admiral  hav- 
ing given  his  word  to  send  back  our  two  ships  of  war,  and 
not  having  performed  his  promise,  he  has  thus  violated  the 
faithful  articles  of  peace  which  were  signed  between  us, 
and  by  so  doing  a  new  treaty  must  be  made. 

I  inform  you,  therefore,  that  a  treaty  of  peace  having 

been  signed  between  America  and  us,  during  the  reign  of 

:n  Pashaw,  twenty  years  past,  I  propose  to  renew  the 

said  treaty  on  the  same  basis  stipulated  in  it,  and  if  you 

agree  to  it,  our  friendship  will  be  solid  and  lasting. 

I  intended  to  be  on  higher  terms  of  amity  with  our 
friends  the  Americans  than  ever  before,  being  the  first 


278  APPENDIX. 

nation  with  whom  I  made  peace ;  but  as  they  have  not  been 
able  to  put  into  execution  our  present  treaty,  it  appears 
necessary  for  us  to  treat  on  the  above  mentioned  condi- 
tions. We  hope  that  with  the  assistance  of  God  you  will 
answer  this  our  letter,  immediately  after  you  shall  have  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  its  contents.  If  you  agree,  accord- 
ing to  our  request,  to  the  conditions  specified  in  the  said 
treaty,  please  to  send  us  an  early  answer.  Tf  on  the  con- 
trary, you  are  not  satisfied  with  my  propositions,  you  will 
act  against  the  sacred  duty  of  man,  and  against  the  laws 
of  nations. 

Requesting  only  that  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  re- 
move your  Consul  as  soon  as  possible,  assuring  you  that  it 
will  be  very  agreeable  to  us,  these  are  our  last  words 
to  you,  and  we  pray  God  to  keep  you  in  his  holy  guard. 

Written  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira,  1231,  the  20th  day 
of  the  moon,  Dge  Mazirl  Covel,  corresponding  to  1815, 
April  24th.     Signed  in  our  well  beloved  city  of  Algiers. 
(Signed.)         OMAR,  son  of  Mohammed, 
Conqueror  and  great. 


APPENDIX.  279 

F. 

[Page  136.] 

BATTLE  OF  ALGIERS. 

Minutes  of  the  Battle,  taken  at  the  Consular  house  in  the  city. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  August,  1816, 
the  weather  being  remarkably  fine  and  temperate,  the  at- 
mosphere only  slightly  agitated  by  the  breath  of  zephyrs 
scarcely  perceptible,  the  whole  western  horizon,  as  seen 
from  this  house,  is  covered  with  vessels  of  war  of  various 
classes  and  sizes,  from  the  terrible  three-decker  down  to 
the  insignificant  gun-boat.  The  proximity  of  this  fleet 
was  announced  last  evening  by  alarm  guns,  and  they  ap- 
pear to  be  approaching  under  the  influence  of  a  current. 
At  eleven  o'clock  the  breeze  freshens  a  little,  and  a  frigate 
is  detached  from  the  fleet,  stands  near  in  with  the  marine 
batteries  under  a  flag  of  truce,  and  sends  a  boat  on  shore. 
This  frigate  maintains  her  position,  with  a  flag  of  truce 
flying  until  about  one  o'clock.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
fleet  concentrates  in  the  bay  in  apparent  readiness  for  ac- 
tion. On  the  flag  being  hauled  down  on  board  of  the  fri- 
gate, many  signals  are  seen  flying  in  the  fleet,  and  six 
frigates  under  the  Dutch  flag,  are  formed  in  a  separate 
close  line  of  battle  ahead.  A  French  corvette,  that  was 
lying  in  the  bay,  on  the  appearance  of  the  combined  fleets 
this  morning,  left  her  anchorage,  and  stretched  out  amongst 
them.  At  forty-five  minutes  past  one,  four  bomb  vessels 
take  their  positions  opposite  the  city,  at  distances  hardly 
exceeding  a  mile  from  the  principal  marine  batteries.  At 
a  quarter  past  two,  many  signals  are  seen  flying,  and  the 
manoeuvres  of  the  fleet  indicate  the  intention  of  taking 
positions  of  attack.  At  half  past  two,  P.  M.  the  British 


280  APPENDIX. 

Admiral  in  the  Queen  Charlotte,  of  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty guns,  fills  away  with  a  moderate  breeze  from  the  north, 
and  leads  in,  in  majestic  style,  followed  by  two  ships  of 
seventy-four,  one  of  ninety-eight,  and  another  of  seventy- 
four  guns  ;  the  frigates  stand  in  promiscuously,  with  the 
apparent  intention  of  taking  allotted  stations,  and  the 
Dutch  squadron  follows  in  regular  line  of  battle.  A  few 
minutes  before  three,  the  British  Admiral  passes  out  of 
sight  of  this  position,  and  to  appearance  almost  brushing 
the  formidable  line  of  marine  batteries  with  his  yards. 
At  this  moment  two  severity-four  gun  ships  take  their  po- 
sitions at  distances  apparently  not  beyond  pistol  shot,  and 
at  the  same  time  the  Impregnable,  of  ninety-eight  guns, 
with  a  Rear  Admiral's  flag,  though  at  much  greater  dis- 
tance ;  obviously  an  error.  At  this  time  the  fleet  has 
passed  out  of  sight  of  this  position,  except  the  three  last 
mentioned,  and  several  sloops  and  small  craft,  which  keep 
manoeuvering  under  sail,  without  apparent  intention  to 
anchor.  At  exactly  three  o'clock,  a  gun  is  fired  by  the 
Algerines  upon  the  British  Admiral,  and  the  battle  instant- 
ly becomes  general.  At  twenty  minutes  past  three,  the 
fire  of  the  marine  batteries  appears  to  be  silenced,  and 
hundreds  of  fugitives  from  them  are  seen  flying  along  the 
seashore  under  the  walls  of  this  house,  where  many  of 
them  are  mowed  down  by  the  fire  of  the  Impregnable. 
The  cannonade  endures  with  great  fury  on  the  part  of  the 
British,  and  is  returned  with  constancy  from  the  batteries 
in  this  quarter.  At  five  o'clock  the  fire  of  the  marine  bat- 
teries is  renewed,  and  continued  at  intervals.  At  half 
past  seven,  the  shipping  in  the  port  is  discovered  to  be 
on  fire.  At  eight  o'clock,  the  Consul  is  informed  that  the 
British  Consul  has  been  taken  from  his  house  by  an  armed 
band,  and  confined  in  heavy  chains  in  the  common  prison 
for  criminals.  At  half  past  eight  the  cannonade  endures. 
The  upper  part  of  this  house  is  apparently  in  ruins ;  five 


APl'ENDiX.  281 

shells  have  burst  within  its  walls.  At  nine,  the  fire  begins 
to  slacken  on  both  sides.  At  eleven,  the  growling  of 
camion  is  only  heard  at  long  intervals.  At  midnight,  from 
tin-  terrace  of  this  house,  every  thing  in  the  port  appears 
to  be  in  flames,  and  two  wrecks  on  fire  are  drifting  out. 
The  spectacle  at  this  moment  is  peculiarly  grand  and 
sublime.  A  black  thunderstorm  is  rising,  probably  an 
effect  of  the  long  cannonade ;  its  vivid  lightning  discovers 
the  hostile  fleets  retiring  with  the  land  breeze,  and  paints 
them  in  strong  relief  on  the  deep  obscurity  of  the  horizon. 
Shells  and  rockets  occasionally  streaming  across  the  hori- 
zon, and  discharges  of  cannon  from  ships  still  within 
reach,  proclaim  an  enemy  fatigued,  exhausted,  but  not 
vanquished;  while  the  Algerines,  by  discharges  of  cannon 
at  intervals,  from  a  line  of  batteries  more  than  three  miles 
in  extent,  lay  claim  to  the  same  honours. 

The  morning  of  the  twenty-eighth  discovers  that  the 
Algerines  are  unable  to  make  any  further  resistance,  while 
the  combined  fleets  appear  to  be  in  a  state  to  renew  the 
battle.  In  the  course  of  the  day  the  former  acknowledge 
themselves  vanquished,  by  accepting  the  humiliating  terms 
of  peace  offered  to  them  by  the  victors. 

Algiers  has  suffered  a  prodigious  loss  in  shipping,  and 
in  damage  done  to  the  city,  and  all  her  defensive  works  ; 
but  she  has  not  probably  lost  so  many  lives  in  the  conflict 
as  her  enemies.  It  h^s  subsequently  been  ascertained,  as 
correctly  as  can  well  be  expected  with  regard  to  facts  of 
this  nature,  that  the  loss  of  the  Algerines  in  this  battle,  in 
killed  and  wounded,  did  not  exceed  about  six  hundred. 
Indeed,  nothing  after  the  battle  indicated  a  great  loss  of 
lives. 


282  APPENDIX. 


LORD  EXMOUTH  S  OFFICIAL  LETTER. 
The  London  Gazette  Extraordinary,  Sunday,  September  15th,  1816. 

Admiralty  Office,  Sept.  15. 

Captain  Brisbane,  of  His  Majesty's  ship  Queen  Char- 
lotte, arrived  at  this  office  last  night  with  the  following 
despatches  from  Admiral  Lord  Exmouth,  G.  C.  B.  address- 
ed to  John  Wilson  Croker,  Esq. 

Queen  Charlotte,  Algiers  Bay,  Aug.  28. 
SIR, 

In  all  the  vicissitudes  of  a  long  life  of  public  service, 
no  circumstance  has  ever  produced  on  my  mind  such  im- 
pressions of  gratitude  and  joy  as  the  event  of  yesterday. 
To  have  been  one  of  the  humble  instruments,  in  the  hands 
of  Divine  Providence,  for  bringing  to  reason  a  ferocious 
government,  and  destroying  forever  the  insufferable  and 
horrid  system  of  Christian  slavery,  can  never  cease  to  be 
a  source  of  delight  and  heartfelt  comfort  to  every  individ- 
ual happy  enough  to  be  employed  in  it.  I  may,  I  hope, 
be  permitted,  under  such  impressions,  to  offer  my  sincere 
congratulations  to  their  Lordships  on  the  complete  success 
which  attended  the  gallant  efforts  of  His  Majesty's  fleet, 
in  their  attack  upon  Algiers  of  yesterday  ;  and  the  happy 
result  produced  from  it  on  this  day  by  the  signature  of 
peace. 

Thus  has  a  provoked  war  of  two  day's  existence,  been 
attended  by  a  complete  victory,  and  closed  by  a  renewed 
peace  for  England  and  her  ally,  the  King  of  the  Nether- 
lands, on  conditions  dictated  by  the  firmness  and  wisdom 
of  His  Majesty's  government,  and  commanded  by  the  vigour 
of  their  measures. 

My  thanks  are  justly  due  for  the  honour  and  confidence 
His  Majesty's  Ministers  have  been  pleased  to  repose  on 
my  zeal,  on  this  highly  important  occasion.  The  means 


APPENDIX.  283 

were  by  them  made  adequate  to  my  own  wishes,  and  the 
rapidity  of  their  measures  speak  for  themselves.  Not 
more  than  one  hundred  days  since,  I  left  Algiers  with  the 
British  fleet,  unsuspicious  and  ignorant  of  the  atrocities 
which  had  been  committed  at  Bona ;  that  fleet,  on  its 
arrival  in  England,  was  necessarily  disbanded,  and  anoth- 
er, with  proportionate  resources,  created  and  equipped  ; 
and  although  impeded  in  its  progress  by  calms  and  adverse 
winds,  has  poured  the  vengeance  of  an  insulted  nation,  in 
chastising  the  cruelties  of  a  ferocious  government,  with 
a  promptitude  beyond  example,  and  highly  honourable 
to  the  national  character, — eager  to  resent  oppression  or 
cruelty  whenever  practised  upon  those  under  their  pro- 
tection. 

Would  to  God,  that  in  the  attainment  of  this  object,  I 
had  not  deeply  to  lament  the  severe  loss  of  so  many  gal- 
lant officers  and  men  ;  they  have  profusely  bled  in  a  con- 
test which  has  been  peculiarly  marked  by  proofs  of  such 
devoted  heroism  as  would  rouse  every  noble  feeling,  did  I 
dare  indulge  in  relating  them. 

Their  Lordships  will  already  have  been  informed  by 
His  Majesty's  sloop  Jasper,  of  my  proceedings  up  to  the 
fourteenth  instant,  on  which  day  I  broke  ground  from 
Gibraltar,  after  a  vexatious  detention,  by  a  foul  wind,  of 
four  days. 

The  fleet,  complete  in  all  its  points,  with  the  addition  of 
five  gun-boats,  fitted  at  Gibraltar,  departed  in  /the  highest 
spirits,  and  with  the  most  favourable  prospects  of  reaching 
the  port  of  their  destination  in  three  days  ;  but  an  adverse 
wind  destroyed  the  expectation  of  an  early  arrival,  which 
was  the  more  anxiously  looked  for  by  myself,  in  conse- 
quence of  hearing,  the  day  I  sailed  from  Gibraltar,  that  a 
large  army  had  been  assembled,  and  that  very  considera- 
ble additional  works  were  throwing  up,  not  only  on  both 
flanks  of  the  city,  but  also  immediately  about  the  entrance 


APPENDIX. 

of  the  mole.  From  this  I  was  apprehensive  that  my  inten- 
tion of  making  that  point  the  principal  object  of  attack 
had  been  discovered  to  the  Dey  by  the  same  means  he 
had  heard  of  the  expedition.  This  intelligence  was  on 
the  following  night  greatly  confirmed  by  the  Prometheus, 
which  I  had  despatched  to  Algiers  some  time  before,  to 
rndravour  to  get  away  the  Consul.  Captain  Dashwood 
l.nd  with  difficulty  succeeded  in  bringing  away,  disguised 
in  midshipmen's  uniform,  his  wife  and  daughter,  leaving 
n  boat  to  bring  off  their  infant  child,  coming  down  in  a 
basket  with  the  surgeon,  who  thought  he  had  composed 
it ;  but  it  unhappily  cried  in  the  gateway,  and  in  conse- 
quence, the  surgeon,  three  midshipmen,  in  all  eighteen 
persons,  were  seized,  and  confined  as  slaves,  in  the  usual 
dungeons.  The  child  was  sent  ofT  next  morning  by  the 
Dey,  and  as  a  solitary  instance  of  his  humanity,  it  ought 
to  be  recorded  by  me. 

Captain  Dashwood  further  confirmed,  that  about  forty 
thousand  men  had  been  brought  down  from  the  interior, 
and  all  the  Janissaries  called  in  from  distant  garrisons,  and 
that  they  were  indefatigably  employed  in  their  batteries, 
gun-boats,  &c.  and  every  where  strengthening  the  sea 
defences. 

The  Dey  informed  Captain  Dashwood  he  knew  perfect- 
ly well  the  armament  was  destined  for  Algiers,  and  asked 
him  if  it  was  true  ;  he  replied,  if  he  had  such  information, 
he  knew  as  much  as  he  did,  and  probably  from  the  same 
source — the  public  prints. 

The  ships  were  all  in  port,  and  between  forty  and  fifty 
gun  and  mortar  boats  ready,  with  several  more  in  forward 
repair.  The  Dey  had  closely  confined  the  Consul,  and 
refused  either  to  give  him  up,  or  promise  his  personal 
safety  ;  nor  would  he  hear  a  word  respecting  the  officers 
and  men  seized  in  the  boats  of  the  Prometheus. 


APPENDIX. 

From  the  continuance  of  adverse  winds  and  calms,  the 
land  to  the  westward  of  Algiers  was  not  made  before  the 
Hxh-r.-rith,  and  the  next  morning,  at  day-break,  the  fleet 
was  advanced  in  sight  of  the  city,  though  not  so  near  as  I 
had  intended.  As  the  ships  were  becalmed,  I  embraced 
tliis  opportunity  of  despatching  a  boat  under  cover  of  the 
Severn,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  and  the  demands  I  had  to 
make,  in  the  name  of  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Re- 
gent, on  the  Dey  of  Algiers  (of  which  the  accompanying 
are  copies),  directing  the  officer  to  wait  two  or  three  hours 
for  the  Dey's  answer,  at  which  time,  if  no  reply  was  sent, 
he  was  to  return  to  the  flag  ship.  He  was  met  near  the 
mole  by  the  Captain  of  the  port,  who  on  being  told  the 
answer  was  expected  in  one  hour,  replied  that  it  was  im- 
possible. The  officer  then  said  he  would  wait  two  or 
three  hours;  he  then  observed,  that  two  hours  were  quite 
sufficient. 

The  fleet  at  this  time,  by  the  springing  up  of  the  sea 
breeze,  had  reached  the  bay,  and  were  preparing  the  boats 
nnd  flotilla  for  service,  until  near  two  o'clock  ;  when,  ob- 
serving my  officer  was  returning,  with  the  signal  flying 
that  no  answer  had  been  received,  after  a  delay  of  up- 
wards of  three  hours,  I  instantly  made  the  signal  to  know 
if  the  ships  were  all  ready,  which  being  answered  in  the 
affirmative,  the  Queen  Charlotte  bore  up,  followed  by  the 
fleet,  for  their  appointed  stations ;  the  flag,  leading  in  the 
prescribed  order,  was  anchored  in  the  entrance  of  the 
mole,  at  about  fifty  yards  distance.  At  this  moment,  not 
a  gun  had  been  fired,  and  I  began  to  suspect  a  full  com- 
pliance with  the  terms  which  had  been  so  many  hours  in 
their  hands.  At  this  period  of  profound  silence,  a  shot 
was  fired  at  us  from  the  mole,  and  two  at  the  ships  to  the 
northward,  then  following  ;  this  was  promptly  returned  by 
the  Queen  Charlotte,  who  was  then  lashing  to  the  main- 
mast of  a  brig,  fast  to  the  shore,  in  the  mouth  of  the  mole, 
and  which  we  had  steered  for,  as  the  guide  to  our  position. 


~o(>  APPENDIX. 

Thus  commenced  a  fire,  as  animated  and  well  support- 
ed, as,  I  believe,  was  ever  witnessed,  from  a  quarter  before 
three  until  nine,  without  intermission,  and  which  did  not 
cease  altogether  until  half  past  eleven. 

The  ships  immediately  following  me,  were  admirably 
and  coolly  taking  their  stations,  with  a  precision  even  be- 
yond my  most  sanguine  hope ;  and  never  did  the  British 
flag  receive,  on  any  occasion,  more  zealous  and  honoura- 
ble support.  To  look  further  on  the  line  than  immediate- 
ly round  me,  was  perfectly  impossible  ;  but  so  well  ground- 
ed was  my  confidence  in  the  gallant  officers  I  had  the 
honour  to  command,  that  my  mind  was  left  perfectly  free 
to  attend  to  other  objects,  arid  I  knew  them  in  their  sta- 
tions only  by  the  destructive  effect  of  their  fire  upon  the 
walls  and  batteries  to  which  they  were  opposed. 

I  had  about  this  time  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Vice- 
Admiral  Van  Capellan's  flag  in  the  station  I  had  assigned 
to  him,  and  soon  after,  at  intervals,  the  remainder  of  his 
frigates,  keeping  up  a  well  supported  fire  on  the  flanking 
batteries  he  had  offered  to  cover  us  from,  as  it  had  not 
been  in  my  power,  for  want  of  room,  to  bring  him  in  the 
front  of  the  mole. 

About  sunset  I  received  a  message  from  Rear- Admiral 
Milne,  conveying  to  me  the  severe  loss  the  Impregnable 
was  sustaining,  having  then  one  hundred  and  fifty  killed 
and  wounded,  and  requesting  I  would,  if  possible,  send 
him  a  frigate  to  divert  some  of  the  fire  he  was  under. 

The  Glasgow,  near  me,  immediately  weighed,  but  the 
wind  had  been  driven  away  by  the  cannonade,  and  she 
was  obliged  to  anchor  again,  having  obtained  rather  a 
better  position  than  before. 

I  had  at  this  time  sent  orders  to  the  explosion  vessel, 
under  the  charge  of  Lieutenant  Fleming  and  Mr.  Parker, 
by  Captain  Reade,  of  the  engineers,  to  bring  her  into  the 
mole ;  but  the  Rear-Admiral  having  thought  she  would 


APPENDIX.  287 

do  him  essential  service,  if  exploded  under  the  battery  in 
his  front,  I  sent  orders  to  this  vessel  to  that  effect,  which 
were  executed.  I  desired  also  the  Rear-Admiral  might 
be  informed,  that  many  of  the  ships  being  now  in  flames, 
and  certain  of  the  destruction  of  the  whole,  I  considered 
I  had  executed  the  most  important  part  of  my  instructions, 
and  should  make  every  preparation  for  withdrawing  the 
ships,  and  desired  he  would  do  so  as  soon  as  possible  with 
his  division. 

There  were  awful  moments  during  the  conflict,  which  I 
cannot  now  attempt  to  describe,  occasioned  by  firing  the 
ships  so  near  us,  and  I  had  long  resisted  the  eager  entreaties 
of  several  around  me,  to  make  the  attempt  upon  the  outer 
frigate,  distant  one  hundred  yards,  which  at  length  I  gave 
in  to.  Major  Gosset,  by  my  side,  who  had  been  eager  to 
land  his  corps  of  miners,  pressed  me  most  anxiously  for 
permission  to  accompany  lieutenant  Richards  in  this  ship's 
barge.  The  frigate  was  instantly  boarded,  and  in  ten 
minutes  in  a  perfect  blaze  ;  a  gallant  midshipman,  in 
rocket  boat  No.  8,  although  forbidden,  was  led  by  his 
ardent  spirit  to  follow  in  support  of  the  barge,  in  which 
he  was  desperately  wounded,  his  brother  officer  killed, 
and  nine  of  his  crew.  The  barge,  by  rowing  more  rapid- 
ly, had  suffered  less,  and  lost  but  two. 

The  enemy's  batteries  around  my  division  were,  about 
ten  o'clock  silenced,  and  in  a  state  of  perfect  ruin  and  di- 
lapidation ;  and  the  fire  of  the  ships  were  reserved  as  much 
as  possible,  to  save  powder,  and  to  reply  to  a  few  guns 
now  and  then  bearing  upon  us,  although  a  fort  on  the  up- 
per angle  of  the  city,  on  which  our  guns  could  not  be 
brought  to  bear,  continued  to  annoy  the  ships  by  shot  and 
shells  during  the  whole  time. 

Providence,  at  this  interval  gave  to  my  anxious  wishes 
the  usual  land  wind,  common  in  this  bay,  and  my  expec- 
tations were  completed.  We  were  all  hands  employed 


288  APPENDIX. 

warping  and  towing  oft',  and  by  the  help  of  the  light  air, 
the  whole  were  under  sail,  and  came  to  anchor  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  shells,  about  two  in  the  morning,  after  twelve 
hours  incessant  labour. 

The  flotilla  of  mortar,  gun,  and  rocket  boats,  under  the 
direction  of  their  respective  artillery  officers,  shared,  to 
the  full  extent  of  their  power,  in  the  honours  of  this  day, 
and  performed  good  service ;  it  was  by  their  fire  all  the 
ships  in  the  port  (with  the  exception  of  the  outer  frigates) 
were  in  flames,  which  extended  rapidly  over  the  whole  ar- 
senal, store-houses,  and  gun-boats,  exhibiting  a  spectacle 
of  awful  grandeur  and  interest  no  pen  can  describe. 

The  sloops  of  war  which  had  been  appropriated  to  aid 
and  assist  the  ships  of  the  line,  and  prepare  for  their  re- 
treat, performed  not  only  that  duty  well,  but  embraced 
every  opportunity  of  firing  through  the  intervals,  and  were 
constantly  in  motion. 

The  shells  from  the  bombs  were  admirably  well  thrown 
by  the  royal  marine  artillery  :  and  though  thrown  directly 
across  and  over  us,  not  an  accident  that  I  know  of  occur- 
red to  any  ship. 

The  whole  was  conducted  with  perfect  silence,  and  such 
a  thing  as  a  cheer  I  never  heard  in  any  part  of  the  line ; 
and  that  the  guns  were  well  worked  and  directed,  will  be 
seen  for  many  years  to  come,  and  remembered  by  these 
barbarians  forever. 

The  conducting  this  ship  to  her  station  by  the  masters 
of  the  fleet  and  ship,  excited  the  praise  of  all.  The  for- 
mer has  been  my  companion  in  arms  for  more  than  twenty 
years. 

Having  thus  detailed,  although  but  imperfectly,  the 
progress  of  this  short  service,  I  venture  to  hope,  that  the 
humble  and  devoted  services  of  myself  and  the  officers 
and  men  of  every  description  that  I  have  the  honour  to 
command,  will  be  received  by  His  Royal  Highness  the 
Prince  Regent,  with  his  accustomed  grace. 


APPENDIX. 

The  approbation  of  our  services  by  our  sovereign,  and 
the  <jood  opinion  of  our  country,  will,  I  venture  to  affirm, 
be  received  by  us  all  with  the  highest  satisfaction. 

If  I  attempted  to  name  to  their  Lordships  the  numerous 
officers,  who  in  such  a  conflict  have  been  at  different 
periods  more  conspicuous  than  their  companions,  I  should 
do  injustice  to  many  ;  and  I  trust  there  is  no  officer  in  the 
fleet  I  have  the  honour  to  command,  who  will  doubt  tlio 
grateful  feelings  I  shall  ever  cherish  for  their  unbounded 
and  unlimited  support.  Not  an  officer  nor  man  confined 
his  exertions  within  the  precise  limits  of  his  own  duty ;  all 
were  eager  to  attempt  services  which  I  found  more  diffi- 
cult to  restrain  than  to  excite,  and  nowhere  was  this  feel- 
ing more  conspicuous  than  in  my  own  captain,  and  those 
officers  immediately  about  my  own  person.  My  gratitude 
and  thanks  are  due  to  all  under  my  command,  as  well  as 
to  Vice-Admiral  Capellen,  and  the  officers  of  the  squadron 
of  His  Majesty  the  King  of  the  Netherlands ;  and  I  trust 
they  will  believe  that  the  recollection  of  their  services 
will  never  cease  but  with  my  life.  In  no  instance  have  I 
ever  seen  more  energy  and  zeal ;  from  the  youngest  mid- 
shipman to  the  highest  rank,  all  seemed  animated  by  one 
soul,  and  of  which  I  shall  with  delight  bear  testimony  to 
their  Lordships,  whenever  that  testimony  can  be  useful. 

I  have  confided  this  despatch  to  Rear-Admiral  Milne, 
my  second  in  command,  from  whom  I  have  received,  dur- 
ing the  whole  service  entrusted  to  me,  the  most  cordial 
and  honourable  support.  He  is  perfectly  informed  of 
every  transaction  of  the  fleet,  from  the  earliest  period  of 
my  command,  and  is  fully  competent  to  give  their  Lord- 
ships satisfaction  on  any  points  which  I  may  have  over- 
looked or  have. not  time  to  state.  I  trust  I  have  obtained 
from  him  his  esteem  and  regard,  and  I  regret  I  had  not 
sooner  been  known  to  him. 
37 


290  APPENDIX. 

The  necessary  papers,  together  with  the  defects  of  the 
ships,  and  the  return  of  killed  and  wounded,  accompany 
this  despatch ;  and  I  am  happy  to  say  Captains  Elkins  and 
Coode  are  doing  well,  as  also  the  whole  of  the  wounded. 
By  accounts  from  the  shore,  I  understand  the  enemy's  loss 
in  killed  and  wounded  is  between  six  and  seven  thousand 
men. 

In  recommending  my  officers  and  fleet  to  their  Lord- 
ship's protection  and  favour.  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

(Signed.)  EXMOUTH. 


Memorandum  of  the  Destruction  in  the  Mole  of  Algiers,  in  the 
Mack  of  the  21th  August,  1816. 

Four  large  frigates  of  forty-four  guns  ;  five  large  cor- 
vettes from  twenty-four  to  thirty  ;  all  the  gun  and  mortar 
boats  except  seven,  thirty  destroyed  ;  several  merchant 
brigs  and  schooners  ;  a  great  number  of  small  vessels  of 
various  descriptions  ;  all  the  pontoons,  lighters,  &c.  ; 
storehouses,  and  arsenal,  with  all  the  timber  and  various 
marine  articles,  destroyed  in  part ;  a  great  many  gun-car- 
riages, mortar-beds,  casks,  and  ships'  stores  of  all  descrip- 
tions. 

(Signed.)         EXMOUTH. 


His  Britannic  Majesty's  ship  Queen  Charlotte, 

Algiers  Bay,  August  28th,  1816. 
SIR, 

For  your  atrocities  at  Bona,  on  defenceless  Christians, 
and  your  unbecoming  disregard  of  the  demands  I  made 
yesterday,  in  the  name  of  the  Prince  Regent  of  England, 
the  fleet  under  my  orders  has  given  you  a  signal  chastise- 
ment, by  the  total  destruction  of  your  navy,  storehouses, 
and  arsenal,  with  half  your  batteries. 


APPENDIX.  <J9l 

As  England  does  not  war  for  the  destruction  of  cities,  I 
am  unwilling  to  visit  your  personal  cruelties  upon  the  in- 
o Tensive  inhabitants  of  the  country,  and  therefore  offer 
you  the  same  terms  of  peace  which  I  conveyed  to  you 
yesterday  in  my  sovereign's  name  ;  without  the  acceptance 
of  these  terms,  you  can  have  no  peace  with  England. 

If  you  receive  this  offer  as  you  ought,  you  will  fire  three 
guns  ;  and  I  shall  consider  your  not  making  this  signal  as 
a  refusal,  and  shall  renew  my  operations  at  my  own  con- 
venience. 

I  offer  you  the  above  terms,  provided  neither  the  British 
Consul,  nor  the  officers  and  men  so  wickedly  seized  by 
you  from  the  boats  of  a  British  ship  of  war,  have  met  with 
any  cruel  treatment,  or  any  of  the  Christian  slaves  in  your 
power;  and  repeat  my  demand,  that  the  Consul  and  officers 
and  men,  may  be  sent  off  to  me,  conformably  to  ancient 
treaties.  I  have,  &c. 

(Signed.)         EXMOUTH. 
To  his  Highness  the  Dey  of  Algiers. 


GENERAL  MEMORANDUM. 

Queen  Charlotte,  Algiers  Bay,  Aug.  30. 
The  Commander  in  chief  is  happy  to  inform  the  fleet  of 
the  final  termination  of  their  strenuous  exertions,  by  the 
signature  of  peace,  confirmed  under  a  salute  of  twenty- 
one  guns,  on  the  following  conditions,  dictated  by  His 
Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Regent  of  England  : 

1.  The  abolition  forever  of  Christian  slavery. 

2.  The  delivery,  to  my  flag,  of  all  slaves  in  the  domin- 
ions of  the  Dey,  to  whatever  nation  they  may  belong,  at 
noon  to-morrow. 

3.  To  deliver  also,  to  my  flag,  all  money  received  by 
him  for  the  redemption  of  slaves,  since  the  commencement 
of  this  year,  at  noon  also,  to-morrow. 


APPENDIX. 

4.  Reparation  has  been  made  to  the  British  Consul  for 
;ill  the  losses  he  may  have  sustained  in  consequence  of  his 
confinement. 

5.  The  Dey  has  made  a  public  apology,  in  presence  of 
his  ministers  and  officers,  and  begged  pardon  of  the  Con- 
sul, in  terms  dictated  by  the  Captain  of  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte. 

The  Commander  in  chief  takes  this  opportunity  of 
again  returning  his  public  thanks  to  the  Admirals,  Cap- 
tains, officers,  seamen,  marines,  royal  marine  artillery, 
royal  sappers  and  miners,  and  the  royal  rocket  corps,  for 
the  noble  support  he  has  received  from  them,  throughout 
the  whole  of  this  arduous  service  ;  and  he  is  pleased  to 
direct  that  on  Sunday  next,  a  public  thanksgiving  be  of- 
fered up  to  Almighty  God  for  the  signal  interposition  of 
his  Divine  Providence,  during  the  conflict  which  took 
place  on  the  twenty-seventh,  between  His  Majesty's  fleet 
and  the  ferocious  enemies  of  mankind. 

tt  is  requested  that  this  memorandum  may  be  read  to 
the  ships'  companies. 

To  the  Admirals,  Captains,  Officers,  &c.  &c. 

Queen  Charlotte,  Algiers  Bay,  Sept.  1,  1816. 
SIR, 

I  have  the  honour  to  acquaint  you,  for  their  Lordships' 
information,  that  I  have  sent  Captain  Brisbane  with  my 
duplicate  despatches,  as  I  am  afraid  that  Admiral  Milne, 
in  the  Leander,  who  has  charge  of  the  originals,  may  ex- 
perience a  long  voyage,  the  wind  having  set  in  from  the 
westward  a  few  hours  after  he  sailed.  Captain  Brisbane, 
to  whom  I  feel  greatly  indebted  for  his  exertions,  and  the 
able  assistance  I  have  received  from  him  throughout  the 
whole  of  this  service,  will  be  able  to  inform  their  Lordships 
upon  all  points  that  I  may  have  omitted. 


APPENDIX.  293 

Admiral  Sir  Charles  Penrose  arrived  too  late  to  take  his 
share  in  the  attack  upon  Algiers,  which  I  lament  as  much 
on  his  account  as  my  own ;  his  services  would  have  been 
desirable  in  every  respect. 

I  have  the  satisfaction  to  state,  that  all  the  slaves  in  the 
city  of  Algiers  and  immediately  in  this  vicinity,  are  em- 
barked, as  also  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  thousand  dol- 
lars for  Naples,  and  twenty-five  thousand  five  hundred  for 
Sardinia.  The  treaties  will  be  signed  to-morrow,  and  I 
hope  to  be  able  to  sail  in  a  day  or  two. 

The  Minden  has  sailed  for  Gibraltar  to  be  refitted,  and 
will  proceed  from  thence  to  her  ultimate  destination. 

The  Albion  will  be  refitted  at  Gibraltar  for  the  recep- 
tion of  Sir  Charles  Penrose's  flag.  The  Glasgow  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  bring  home  with  me.  I  have  the  honour,  &c. 

(Signed.)  EXMOUTH. 

To  John  Wilson  Croker,  Esq. 


LIST  OF  VESSELS  COMPOSING  THE  COMBINED  FLEETS. 

British. 

Guns.  Killed.                               Wounded. 

Q,ueen  Charlotte,   100  8  131 

Impregnable,            98  60  160 

Superb,                      74  8  84 

Minden,                     74  7  37 

Albion,                      74  3  20 

Leander,                    50  17  118 

Severn,                      40  3  34 

Glasgow,                   40  10  37 

Granicus,                  36  16  42 

Hebrus,                     36  4  15 
Heron, 


Mutine, 
Prometheus, 
Cordelia, 
Britomart,    ^ 


Sloops  of  war,  none  killed  or  wounded. 


294  APPENDIX. 

Infernal,  Bomb  vessel,  killed,  2  wounded,  17 

Beelzebub,  } 

Hecla,          >  Bomb  vessels,  none  killed  or  wounded. 
Fury,  ) 

Flotilla,  consisting  of  four  gun-boats,  ten  mortar-boats, 
launches,  five  rocket-boats,  flats,  thirty-two  gun-boats, 
barges,  and  yawls.  Total,  55. 

British  killed,  138,  wounded,  695. 


wounded,  15 
5 
4 

22 
6 


British,  138  killed,  695  wounded.      Total  833 
Dutch,     13     do.       52       do.  do.     65 

Grand  total,  898 


Dutch. 

Melampus, 

guns,  40 

killed,  3 

Frederica, 

44 

0 

Dagaraad, 

36 

0 

Diana, 

40 

6 

Amstel, 

44 

4 

Endracht, 

24 

none  killed  or  1 

APPENDIX.  295 

6. 

[Page  139.] 

THE  PRESIDENT  TO  THE  DEY  OF  ALGIERS. 

I  have  received  your  letter,  bearing  date  the  twenty- 
fourth  of  April  last.  You  represent  that  the  two  vessels  of 
war  captured  by  the  American  squadron  were  not  restored, 
according  to  the  promise  of  its  Commodore,  Decatur,  and 
inferring  that  his  failure  violated  the  treaty  of  peace,  you 
propose  as  an  alternative,  a  renewal  of  the  former  treaty 
made  many  years  ago,  or  a  withdrawal  of  our  Consul  from 
Algiers.  The  United  States  being  desirous  of  living  in 
peace  and  amity  with  all  nations,  I  regret,  that  an  errone- 
ous view  of  what  has  passed,  should  have  suggested  the 
contents  of  your  letter. 

Your  predecessor  made  war  without  cause  on  the  United 
States,  driving  away  their  Consul,  and  putting  into  slavery 
the  captain  and  crew  of  one  of  their  vessels,  sailing  under 
the  faith  of  an  existing  treaty.  The  moment  we  had 
brought  to  an  honourable  conclusion  our  war  with  a  nation 
the  most  powerful  in  Europe  on  the  sea,  we  detached  a 
squadron  from  our  naval  force  into  the  Mediterranean,  to 
take  satisfaction  for  the  wrongs  which  Algiers  had  done 
to  us.  Our  squadron  met  yours,  defeated  it,  and  made 
prize  of  your  largest  ship,  and  of  a  small  one.  Our  com- 
mander proceeded  immediately  to  Algiers,  offered  you 
peace,  which  you  accepted,  and  thereby  saved  the  rest  of 
your  ships,  which  it  was  known  had  not  returned  into  port, 
and  would  otherwise  have  fallen  into  his  hands.  Our 
commander,  generous  as  brave,  although  he  would  not 
make  the  promise  a  part  of  the  treaty,  informed  you  that 
ho  would  restore  the  two  captured  ships  to  your  officer. 


296  APPENDIX. 

They  were  accordingly  so  restored.  The  frigate,  at  an 
early  day,  arrived  at  Algiers.  But  the  Spanish  government, 
alleging  that  the  capture  of  the  brig  was  so  near  the 
Spanish  shore  as  to  be  unlawful,  detained  it  at  Carthagena, 
after  your  officer  had  received  it  into  his  possession.  Not- 
withstanding this  fulfilment  of  all  that  could  be  required 
from  the  United  States,  no  time  was  lost  in  urging  upon 
that  government  a  release  of  the  brig,  to  which  Spain 
could  have  no  right,  whether  the  capture  were  or  were 
not  agreeable  to  the  law  of  nations.  The  Spanish  gov- 
ernment promised  that  the  brig  should  be  given  up,  and 
although  the  delay  was  greater  than  was  expected,  it  ap- 
pears that  the  brig,  as  well  as  the  frigate,  has  actually 
been  placed  in  your  possession. 

It  is  not  without  great  surprise,  therefore,  that  we  find 
you,  under  such  circumstances,  magnifying  an  incident  so 
little  important  as  it  affects  the  interests  of  Algiers,  and  so 
blameless  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  into  an  occa- 
sion for  the  proposition  and  threat  contained  in  your  let- 
ter. I  cannot  but  persuade  myself,  that  a  reconsideration 
of  the  subject  will  restore  you  to  the  amicable  sentiments 
towards  the  United  States  which  succeeded  the  war  so 
unjustly  commenced  by  the  Dey  who  reigned  before  you. 
I  hope  the  more  that  this  may  be  the  case,  because  the 
United  States,  whilst  they  wish  for  war  with  no  nation, 
will  buy  peace  with  none.  It  is  a  principle  incorporated 
into  the  settled  policy  of  America,  that  as  peace  is  better 
than  war,  war  is  better  than  tribute. 

Our  Consul,  and  our  naval  Commander,  Chauncey,  are 
authorized  to  communicate  with  you,  for  the  purpose  of 
terminating  the  subsisting  differences  by  a  mutual  recogni- 
tion and  execution  of  the  treaty  lately  concluded.  And 
I  pray  God  that  he  will  inspire  you  with  the  same  love  of 


APPENDIX.  297 

peace  and  justice  which  we  feel,  and  that  he  will  take  you 
into  his  holy  keeping. 

Written  at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  twenty-first  day 
of  August,  1816. 

(Signed.)         JAMES  MADISON. 
By  the  President. 

(Signed.)         JAMES  MONROE,  Secretary 
of  State. 


THE  AMERICAN   COMMISSIONERS  TO  THE  DEY  OF  ALGIERS. 

The  undersigned  have  the  honour  to  transmit  herewith 
to  his  Highness  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  a  letter  addressed  to 
him  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  to  inform 
him  that  they  have  been  appointed  by  the  President  Com- 
missioners to  treat  of  the  renewal  of  the  relations  of  peace 
and  amity  between  the  United  States  and  Algiers. 

Pursuant  to  these  instructions,  they  have  lost  no  time  in 
proceeding  to  this  bay,  in  the  hppe  of  adjusting  the  differ- 
ences subsisting  between  the  two  countries  by  a  treaty 
of  peace,  subject  to  the  ratification  of  the  President,  by 
and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate. 

As  the  promise  of  Commodore  Decatur,  to  restore  the 
ships  captured  from  the  Regency  by  the  squadron  under 
his  command,  previous  to  the  negotiations  for  peace  in 
June,  1815,  has  been  fulfilled  by  the  delivery  of  the  vessels 
in  question  into  the  possession  of  officers  of  the  Regency 
sent  to  Carthagena  for  that  purpose,  and  by  the  actual 
return  of  those  vessels  to  Algiers,  the  undersigned  are  in- 
structed not  to  admit  the  unfounded  claim,  which  has  been 
brought  forward  by  the  Regency  of  Algiers  upon  that 
question,  to  a  discussion.  But,  in  order  to  demonstrate  to 
his  Highness  that  the  American  government  has  not  been 
remiss  in  effecting  the  fulfilment  of  that  promise  of  their 
38 


298  APPENDIX. 

naval  commander  in  a  manner  the  most  scrupulously 
punctual,  they  herewith  transmit  copies  of  a  correspond- 
ence between  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  the  Minister 
of  his  Majesty  the  King  of  Spain,  in  America,  upon  that 
subject.  This  preliminary  being  agreed  to,  they  are  in- 
structed to  propose  to  his  Highness  the  renewal  of  the  re- 
lations of  peace  and  amity  between  the  two  States,  upon 
the  following  conditions,  viz. 

1st.  The  renewal  of  the  treaty  of  peace  of  June,  1815, 
in  the  exact  form  and  terms  in  which  the  same  was  con- 
cluded with  the  Regency  by  the  Consul  General,  and 
Commodore  Decatur ;  but  as  a  proof  of  the  conciliatory 
policy  of  the  President,  they  are  instructed  to  propose  gra- 
tuitously to  his  Highness  a  modification  of  the  eighteenth 
article  of  that  treaty  by  adding  the  following,  explanatory 
of  it ; — viz.  "  The  United  States  of  America,  in  order  to  give 
the  Dey  of  Algiers  a  proof  of  their  desire  to  maintain  the 
relations  of  peace  and  amity  between  the  two  powers,  up- 
on a  footing  the  most  liberal,  and  in  order  to  withdraw 
any  obstacle  which  might  embarrass  him  in  his  relations 
with  other  States,  agree  to  annul  so  much  of  the  eighteenth 
article  of  the  foregoing  treaty,  as  gives  to  the  United 
States  any  advantage,  in  the  ports  of  Algiers,  over  the  most 
favoured  nations  having  treaties  with  the  Regency." 

2d.  The  Regency  of  Algiers  having  misunderstood  the 
liberal  principles  upon  which  the  treaty  of  June,  1815, 
was  concluded,  and,  contrary  to  a  distinct  understanding 
between  them  and  the  American  Commissioners,  having 
.  introduced  into  the  translation  of  that  treaty  an  obligation 
on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  to  pay  to  the  Regency  a 
present  on  the  presentation  of  their  Consuls,  the  same  is 
formally  denied  ;  and  the  undersigned  declare  in  the  most 
distinct  and  formal  manner,  that  no  obligation  binding  the 
United  States  to  pay  any  thing  to  the  Regency  or  to  its 
officers,  on  any  occasion  whatsoever,  will  be  agreed  to. 


APPENDIX.  20(J 

The  undersigned  believe  it  to  be  their  duty  to  assure 
his  Ili<r|m<-ss  that  the  above  conditions  will  not  be  depart- 
ed from  ;  thus  leaving  to  the  Regency  of  Algiers  the 
choice  between  peace  and  war.  The  United  States, 
while  anxious  to  maintain  the  former,  are  prepared  to 
meet  the  latter. 

In  order  to  facilitate  to  the  government  of  Algiers  the 
understanding  of  this  note,  the  undersigned  herewith 
transmit  to  his  Highness  an  informal  translation  of  it  into 
the  Arabic  language,  and  they  expect  that  his  Highness 
will  cause  a  reply  to  be  made  to  this  communication  in 
writing,  in  either  the  English,  French,  Spanish,  or  Italian 
language  ;  or  by  a  foreign  Consul,  authorized  by  him  to 
vouch  for  the  same.  And  they  avail  themselves  of  this 
occasion  to  offer  to  his  Highness  the  homage  of  their  high 
consideration  and  profound  respect. 

,G.        ,  v         WM.  SHALER. 
I.  CHAUNCEY. 

U.  S.  Ship  Washington, 
Bay  of  Algiers,  9th  Dec.  1816. 


NOTE  OF  THE  AMERICAN  CONSUL  GENERAL. 

The  undersigned,  Consul  General  of  the  United  States 
to  the  States  of  Barbary,  and  their  Commissioner  to  treat 
of  the  renewal  of  peace  with  Algiers,  has  the  honour  to 
declare  to  his  Highness  the  Dey,  that  in  conference  with 
him  on  the  nineteenth  instant,  the  proposition  of  his  High- 
ness to  delay  the  negotiation  for  eight  months  and  a  day, 
was  repeatedly  rejected  ;  the  undersigned  always  replying 
that  he  could  not  depart  from  the  tenor  of  the  note,  which 
he  had  the  honour  to  address  to  his  Highness,  conjointly 
with  his  colleague,  under  date  of  the  ninth,  current,  and  that 
if  those  propositions  were  rejected,  he  should  consider 


300  APPENDIX. 

himself  in  duty  bound  to  embark  immediately,  leaving  the 
Regency  of  Algiers  in  the  predicament  of  declaring  war. 
The  undersigned  avails  himself  of  this  occasion  to  re- 
iterate to  his  Highness  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  the  assurance 
of  his  high  consideration  and  profound  respect. 

(Signed.)         WM.  SHALER. 

Consulate  General  of  the  United  States, 
Algiers,  Dec.  20th,  1816. 


APPENDIX.  301 

H. 

[Page  160.] 

PROTOCOL  DU    CONGRES  D'AIX-LA-CHAPELLE,    No.    39. 

20  de  Nov.  1818. 

MM.  les  Plenipotentiaires  sont  convenus,  d'apres  le 

protocol  du ,  de  dormer  suite  dans  les  conferences 

ministerielles  de  Londres,  a  1'examen  de  differens  projets 
mis  en  avant  pour  reprimer  efficacement  les  pirateries  ex- 
ercees  par  les  Barbaresques.  M.  le  Comte  de  Capo 
d'Istria  a  reclame  encore  une  fois  Pattention  de  la  con- 
ference sur  cette  question ;  et  ayant  reconnu  combien 
il  etait  important  d'opposer  le  plutot  possible  une  barriere 
quelconque  au  mal  que  ces  pirateries  font  au  commerce 
de  1'Europe,  et  de  preposer  les  resolutions  a  prendre  a  cet 
egard  par  quelque  demarche  directe  et  imposante.  vis  a 
vis  des  Regences  de  la  cote  d'Afrique,  on  a  invite  MM. 
les  Plenipotentiaires  de  France  et  de  la  Grande  Bretagne, 
comme  representans  les  deux  cours  dont  1'authorite  doit 
naturellement  avoir  le  plus  de  poids  aupres  de  ces  Re- 
gences, a  leur  faire  addresser  des  paroles  serieuses,  les 
avertissant,  que  1'effet  infaillible  de  leur  perseverance 
dans  un  systeme  hostile  au  commerce  pacifique  serait  une 
ligue  generale  des  puissances  de  1'Europe,  sur  les  resultats 
de  laquelle  les  Etats  Barbaresques  feraient  bien  de  re- 
flechir  a  terns,  et  qui  pourrait  eventuellement  les  atteindre 
j usque  dans  leur  existence. 

MM.  le  Due  de  Richelieu  et  Lord  Castlereagh  se 
sont  engages  a  donner  les  instructions  necessaires  pour 
qu'une  pareille  demarche  soit  faite,  et  de  donner  connois- 
sance  aux  autres  cabinets  de  1'efTet,  qu'  elle  aurait  produit ; 
et  les  cinq  cours  se  reservent  de  faire  egalement  prevenir 
In  Porto  Ottomane,  dans  les  formes  amicales,  des  dan.Lr«T« 


302  APPENDIX. 

auxquels  les  Regences  Barbaresques  s'exposeraient  en 
persistant  dans  leur  systeme  actuel,  et  en  provoquant  des 
mesures  decisives  de  la  part  des  puissances  Europeennes. 

(  METTERNICH,  RICHELIEU,  CASTLEREAGH, 
(Signe.)      <  WELLINGTON,  HARDENBERG,  BERNSTORFF, 
/  (  NESSELRODE,  CAPO  D'!STRIA. 


(Translation.) 

PROTOCOL  OF  THE  CONGRESS  OF  AIX-LA-CHAPELLE,    No.  39. 
20TH  OF  NOVEMBER,   1818. 

The  Plenipotentiaries  agreed,  according  to  the  Pro- 
tocol of ,  to  continue,  in  the  ministerial  conferen- 
ces of  London,  the  examination  of  different  plans  proposed 
for  effectually  suppressing  the  piracies  committed  by  the 
Barbary  States.  The  Count  of  Capo  d'Istria  once  more 
called  the  attention  of  the  conference  to  this  question  ; 
and  it  being  acknowledged  how  important  it  was  to  oppose, 
as  soon  as  possible,  some  barrier  to  the  evils  which  these 
piracies  bring  on  the  commerce  of  Europe,  and  to  lay 
before  the  Regencies  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  in  some  di- 
rect and  imposing  manner,  the  resolutions  to  be  taken  on 
this  subject,  the  Plenipotentiaries  of  France  and  Great 
Britain,  as  the  representatives  of  the  two  courts  whose 
authority  would  naturally  have  most  weight  with  those 
Regencies,  were  requested  to  cause  them  to  be  addressed 
in  serious  terms,  and  to  be  warned,  that  the  unavoidable 
consequence  of  their  perseverance  in  a  system  hostile  to 
peaceful  commerce,  would  be  a  general  league  among 
the  powers  of  Europe  ;  on  the  results  of  which  the  Barbary 
States  would  do  well  to  reflect  in  season,  and  which  might 
eventually  affect  their  very  existence. 

The  Duke  of  Richelieu  and  Lord  Castlereagh  pledged 


APPENDIX.  303 

themselves  to  give  the  instructions  necessary  to  carry 
into  execution  such  a  measure,  and  to  give  notice  to 
the  other  powers  of  the  effect  it  should  produce ;  and  the 
five  courts,  as  they  may  hereafter  see  fit,  are  to  cause  also 
the  Ottoman  Porte  to  be  apprized,  in  a  friendly  way,  of 
the  danger  to  which  the  Barbary  Regencies  would  expose 
themselves  by  persisting  in  their  present  system,  and  by 
provoking  decisive  measures  on  the  part  of  the  European 
powers. 

(  METTERNICH,  RICHELIEU,  CASTLEREAGH, 
(Signed.)      <  WELLINGTON,  HARDENBERG,  BERNSTORFF, 
(  NESSELRODE,  CAPO  D'!STRIA. 


NOTE  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  REGENCY  OF  ALGIERS,  PURSUANT  TO 
THE  FOREGOING, 

By  Admirals  Freemantle  and  Jurien  de  la  Graviere. 

Les  puissances  de  1'Europe,  qui  se  sont  reunies  Pan 
dernier  a  Aix-la-Chapelle,  ont  defere  a  la  France  et  a  la 
Grande  Bretagne  le  soin  de  faire  au  nom  de  toutes,  des 
representations  serieuses  aux  Regences  Barbaresques,  sur 
la  necessity  de  mettre  un  terme  aux  depredations  et  aux 
violences  exercees  par  les  batimens  armes  de  ces  Re- 
gences. 

Nous  venons  au  nom  de  LL.  MM.  les  Rois  de  France  et 
de  la  Grande  Bretagne,  comme  leurs  Commissaires,  vous 
notifier  les  dispositions  des  puissances  de  PEurope.  Ces 
puissances  sont  irrevocablement  determinees  a  faire  cesser 
un  systeme  de  piraterie,  qui  n'est  pas  seulement  contraire 
aux  interests  generaux  de  tous  les  etats,  mais  qui  est  encore 
destructif  de  toutes  esperances  de  prosperite  pour  ceux 
qui  le  mettent  en  pratique.  Si  les  Regences  persistent 
dans  un  systeme  ennemi  de  tout  commerce  paisible,  elles 
provoqueraient  inevitablement  contre  elles  une  ligue  ge- 
uerale  de  toutes  Jes  puissances  de  PEurope  ;  et  elles  doivent 


304  APPENDIX. 

considerer  avant  qu'il  soil  trop  tard,  que  1'effet  d'une  telle 
ligue  peut  mettre  en  danger  leur  existence. 

Mais  avant  que  nous  vous  fassions  entrevoir  les  conse- 
quences funestes  qu'entrainerait  la  continuation  des  pi- 
rateries  qui  excitent  les  plaintes  de  1'Europe,  nous  nous 
empressons  de  vous  assurer  que,  si  les  Regences  renoncent 
a  un  systeme  si  desastreux,  les  puissances  sont  non  seule- 
ment  disposees  a  maintenir  avec  elles  des  relations  de 
bonne  intelligence  et  d'amitie,  mais  encore  a  encourager 
toutes  especes  de  rapports  commerciaux  qui  pourraient 
etre  avantageux  aux  sujets  respectifs.  Les  puissances  au 
nom  desquelles  nous  avons  1'honneur  de  parler,  sont  par- 
faitement  unies  sur  1'important  objet  de  la  mission,  que 
nous  avons  etc  charges  de  remplir,  et  nous  sommes  les 
fideles  interpretes  de  leurs  intentions. 

Nous  esperons,  qu'eclaires  sur  vos  veritables  interests 
vous  ne  hesiterez  pas  a  repondre  d'une  maniere  satisfai- 
sante  aux  demandes  que  nous  venons  de  vous  representer. 
Les  puissances  de  1'Europe  se  bornent  a  vouloir  que  les 
Regences  Barbaresques  respectent  des  droits  et  des 
usages  consacres  par  toutes  les  nations  civilisees ;  et  si 
les  Regences  pretendent  pouvoir  inquieter  a  leur  gre  le 
commerce  des  autres  nations,  elles  attireront  inevitable- 
rnent  sur  elles  les  armes  de  PEurope.  Veuillez  done  bien 
nous  donner  les  assurances  que  nos  Souverains  attendent 
de  vous,  et  sont  impatiens  de  transmettre  a  leurs  allies,  sur 
un  objet  qu'elles  ont  si  profondement  a  cceur.  Mais  dans 
une  circonstance  aussi  grave,  des  promesses  verbales  ne 
suffisent  pas  ;  il  s'agit  d'un  pacte  solemnel  et  de  la  plus 
haute  importance  pour  la  surete  des  navigateurs  et  du 
commerce  de  touts  les  etats ;  et  puisque  nous  declarons 
par  ecrit  les  intentions  des  puissances  alliees,  nous  sommes 
fondes  a  croire  que  vous  repondrez  de  la  meme  maniere  a 
une  telle  demarche.  Nous  nous  empresserons  de  faire 


U'PKNUIX.  -)U5 

parveriir  ;i  nos  gouvornemens  Pengagement  positif  que 
YOUS  nous  romcttrcx.  Car  nous  vous  le  repetons,  nous 
n'admettons  pas  quc  vous  puissiez  repousser  dcs  proposi- 
tions qui  tendent  a  vous  faire  rccueillir  promptement  tous 
les  avantages  commerciaux,  garantis  par  le  respect  pour 
IP  droit  des  gens. 

/Q-      '  \   ^  THOMAS  FREEMANTLE. 

1     i  JURIEN  DE  LA  GRATIKRK. 

Srptembre,  1819. 

( Translation.) 

The  powers  of  Europe,  which  assembled,  the  last  year, 
at  Aix-la-Chapelle,  have  committed  to  France  and  Great 
Britain  the  care  of  making,  in  the  name  of  them  all,  seri- 
ous representations  to  the  Barbary  Regencies,  on  the  ne- 
cessity of  putting  an  end  to  the  depredations  and  acts  of 
violence,  committed  by  the  armed  vessels  of  those  Re- 
gencies. 

We  come,  in  the  name  of  their  Majesties,  the  Kings  of 
France  and  Great  Britain,  as  tbeir  Commissioners,  to  make 
known  to  you  the  purposes  of  the  powers  of  Europe. 
These  powers  are  irrevocably  determined  to  put  an  end  to 
a  system  of  piracy,  not  only  contrary  to  the  general  inter- 
ests of  all  states,  but  also  destructive  of  all  hopes  of  pros- 
perity to  those  who  practise  it.  If  the  Regencies  persist 
in  a  system  hostile  to  all  peaceable  commerce,  they  will 
inevitably  provoke  against  themselves  a  general  league  of 
all  the  powers  of  Europe ;  and  they  ought  to  consider, 
before  it  be  too  late,  that  the  effect  of  such  a  league 
might  endanger  their  very  existence. 

But  before  we  point  out  to  you  the  fatal  consequences 
which  would  ensue  from  a  continuation  of  piracies  which 
excite  the  complaints  of  Europe,  we  hasten  to  assure 
you,  that  if  the  Regencies  will  renounce  so  disastrous  a 
system,  the  powers  are  not  only  disposed  to  maintain 
39 


JOG  KPP^NDIX. 

with  them  relations  of  good  understanding  and  amity,  but 
also  to  encourage  every  sort  of  commercial  connexion 
which  may  be  advantageous  to  their  respective  subjects. 
The  powers  in  whose  name  we  have  the  honour  to  speak, 
are  perfectly  united  respecting  the  important  object  of 
the  mission,  with  the  execution  of  which  we  are  charged, 
and  we  are  the  faithful  interpreters  of  their  intentions. 

We  hope  that,  enlightened  as  to  your  true  interests, 
you  will  not  hesitate  to  answer  satisfactorily  the  demands 
we  have  just  laid  before  you.     The  powers  of  Europe 
confine  themselves  to  the  request  that  the  Barbary  Re- 
gencies would  respect  the  rights  and  usages  held  sacred 
by  all  civilized  nations  ;  and  if  the  Regencies  pretend  to 
be  able  to  disturb,  at  their  pleasure,  the  commerce  of  oth- 
er nations,  they  will  inevitably  draw  upon  themselves  the 
arms  of  Europe.     Be  pleased,  then,  to  give  us  those  assur- 
ances, which  our  Sovereigns  expect  from  you,  and  are  im- 
patient to  transmit  to  their  allies,  upon  a  subject  which  they 
have  so  deeply  at  heart.     But,  in  a  case  of  such  moment, 
verbal  promises  are  not  sufficient.     This  transaction  re- 
lates to  a  solemn  compact,  and  one  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance to  the  safety  of  the  navigators  and  of  the  commerce 
of  all  states.     And  since  we  declare  to  you  in  writing  the 
intentions  of  the  allied  powers,  we  have  reason  to  believe 
that  you  will  reply  to  this  proceeding  in  the  same  manner. 
We  shall  hasten  to  lay  before  our  governments  the  posi- 
tive engagement  you  shall  send  us.     For,  we  repeat  to 
you,  we  cannot  admit  the  possibility  of  your  rejecting 
propositions  which  tend  to  enable  you  to  reap  immedi- 
ately all  the  commercial  advantages,  warranted  by  a  re- 
spect for  the  law  of  nations. 

/a-       j  \     ^  THOMAS  FREE  MANTLE. 
(Signed.)    |  JURJEK  DE  LA  GRAVI£BE< 

September,  1819. 


APPENDIX.  307 

K. 

[Page  225.] 

DECLARATION. 

Whereas  His  Majesty,  the  King  of  the  United  Kingdoms 
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  has  represented  to  us  his 
expectation  that  we  would  give  a  more  liberal  and  extend- 
ed interpretation  to  the  enactments  of  the  seventeenth  ar- 
ticle of  the  treaty  concluded  between  Great  Britain  and 
Algiers  on  the  fifth  day  of  April,  1686,  which  provides  for 
the  entire  safety  and  freedom  of  the  person  and  estate  of 
his  said  Majesty's  Agent  and  Consul  General,  residing  in 
this  our  city  and  kingdom  of  Algiers  ;  we  are  readily  dis- 
posed to  comply  with  the  wishes  of  his  Britannic  Majesty, 
in  proof  of  our  sincere  desire  to  confirm  and  establish  more 
lastingly  the  relations  of  peace  and  harmony,  which  so 
happily  subsist  between  Great  Britain  and  this  kingdom  ; 
and  we  do  therefore  heartily  promise  and  declare,  and  it  is 
hereby  agreed  and  declared  ; 

1st.  That  for  the  future  and  forever,  the  British  Agent 
and  Consul  General,  residing  in  the  city  and  kingdom  of 
Algiers,  shall  be  treated  at  all  times  with  the  respect  and 
civility  due  to  his  character. 

2d.  That  his  person,  house,  or  houses,  shall  be  inviola- 
ble ;  and  if  any  person  injure  or  insult  him  by  word  or 
deed,  such  person  shall  be  severely  punished. 

3d.  That  he  shall  have  liberty  to  choose  his  own  inter- 
preter and  servants,  either  Mussulmans  or  others,  who  are 
not  to  pay  any  tax  or  contribution  whatever. 

4th.  That  he  shall  have  liberty  at  all  times  of  hoisting 
His  Majesty's  flag  at  the  top  of  his  house,  either  in  town 
or  country,  and  in  his  boat,  when  he  passes  on  the  water. 


APPENDIX. 

5th.  That  he  shall  not  pay  duty  for  furniture, 
clothes,  baggage,  or  any  other  necessaries  which  he  im- 
ports into  the  city  or  territories  of  Algiers,  for  the  use  of 
himself  or  his  family  ;  and  that  if  the  nature  of  His  Majes- 
ty's service,  or  any  other  motive,  require  his  absence  from 
this  kingdom,  neither  himself,  his  servants,  baggage,  nor 
effects,  shall  be  stopped  or  detained,  upon  any  pretence 
whatsoever,  but  that  he  shall  have  leave  to  go  and  return 
as  often  as  he  may  think  it  necessary  ;  and,  finally,  that  all 
honours  or  privileges  that  are  now  or  may  hereafter  be 
granted  to  the  Agent,  Consul,  or  Vice-Consul  of  any  other 
power,  shall  likewise  be  granted  to  His  Britannic  Majesty's 
Agent  and  Consul  General,  and  to  his  Vice-Consul. 

Confirmed  and  sealed  in  the  warlike  city  and  king- 
dom of  Algiers,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God, 
the  twenty-sixth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Jesus 
Christ  1824  ;  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira,  1239,  and 
the  twenty-ninth  day  of  the  moon  del  Cada. 
$  Seal  of  the)  Witness,  (signed)  R.  C.  SPENCER, 

I  Bashaw.  $  Captain  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Nayad. 

(Signed.)         H.  McDoNELL, 
H.  B.  M.  Agent  and  Consul  General.  [L.  s.] 


By  His  Most  Serene  Highness  the  Dey  of  Algiers. 

Whereas,  a  declaration  was  made  and  concluded  on  the 
twenty-eighth  day  of  August,  1816,  by  our  predecessor, 
His  most  Serene  Highness  Omar  Bashaw,  with  the  Right 
Honourable  Baron  Exmouth,  by  which  His  Highness  en- 
gaged, that  in  the  event  of  any  future  wars  with  any  Eu- 
ropean power,  not  any  of  the  prisoners  should  be  consign- 
ed to  slavery,  but  treated  with  all  humanity,  as  prisoners 
of  war,  until  regularly  exchanged,  according  to  European 
practice,  and  by  which  declaration  the  practice  of  con- 


APl'KMMX. 

demning  Christian  prisoners  of  war  was  formally  and  for- 
ever renounced ;  we  do  hereby  distinctly  declare,  that  we 
are  willing  to  abide  in  the  strictest  manner  by  that  decla- 
ration, according  to  the  spirit  and  literal  meaning  of  the 
same. 

Confirmed  and  sealed  in  the  warlike  city  and  king- 
dom of  Algiers,  in  presence  of  Almighty  God,  the 
twenty-sixth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Jesus  Christ, 
1824;  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira  1239,  and  the 
twenty-ninth  day  of  the  month  del  Cada. 
<  Seal  of  the)  Witness,  (signed)  R.  C.  SPENCER, 

Captain  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Nayad. 
(Signed.)         H.  McDoNELL, 
II.  B.  M.  Agent  and  Consul  General.  [L.  s.] 


By  His  Most  Serene  Highness  the  Dey  of  Algiers. 

Whereas  it  has  been  represented  to  us  that  the  British 
schooner  called  the  Dandy,  when  being  in  the  mole  of 
Algiers  on  the  tenth  of  January  last,  was  entered  by  cer- 
tain of  our  subjects,  who  grievously  ill  treated  the  master 
of  the  said  schooner ;  we  do  hereby  formally  assure  His 
Majesty  the  King  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  that  we 
will  in  future  adopt  effectual  measures  for  preventing  the 
repetition  of  such  an  outrage. 

Confirmed  and  sealed  in  the  warlike  city  and  king- 
dom of  Algiers,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God, 
the  twenty-sixth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Jesus 
Christ  1824  ;  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira  1239,  and 
of  the  moon  del  Cada,  the  twenty-ninth  day. 
<    Seal  of  the    )        Witness,  (signed)       R.  C.  SPENCER, 
I  Dey  of  Algiers.  $  Captain  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Nayad. 

(Signed.)         H.  McDoNELL, 
H.  B.  M.  Agent  and  Consul  General.  [L.  s.] 


310  APPENDIX. 


His  Highness  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  in  proof  of  his  sincere 
disposition  to  respect  and  maintain  inviolably  for  the  fu- 
ture, the  rights  and  privileges  that  are  attached  to  the 
person  and  residences  of  His  Britannic  Majesty's  Consul, 
consents  to  sign  the  declaration  that  has  been  presented 
to  him  ;  but  the  Dey,  having  represented  the  nature  of  the 
repugnance  against  that  part  of  the  declaration  which 
stipulates  that  His  Majesty's  flag  shall  be  hoisted  on  the 
town  house  of  the  British  Consul,  requests  that  His  Majes- 
ty the  King  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  will  not  require 
a  strict  compliance  with  that  part  of  the  declaration. 

The  Dey  however  assures  His  Majesty  in  the  strongest 
and  most  explicit  terms,  that  it  is  not  intended  by  His 
Highness  that  the  absence  of  the  flag  over  the  Consul's 
house  within  the  town  of  Algiers,  shall  be  considered  as 
depriving  that  house  in  any  degree  of  any  right  or  privi- 
lege which  may  attach  to  the  hoisting  of  that  flag  over  the 
Consul's  house  in  the  country. 

Confirmed  and  sealed  in  the  warlike  city  and  king- 
dom of  Algiers,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God, 
the  twenty-sixth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Jesus 
Christ  1824 ;  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira  1239,  and 
of  the  moon  del  Cada,  the  twenty-ninth  day. 
<    Seal  of  the    >        Witness,  (signed)       R.  C.  SPENCER, 
\  Dey  of  Algiers.  $  Captain  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Nayad. 

(Signed.)         H.  McDoNELL, 
H.  B.  M.  Agent  and  Consul  General.  [L.  s.] 


THE  END. 


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